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A'Gcvi'rnor ofNguhcrh difd inlS2\i, aacjl 59 yewy. 



LEGACY 



HISTORICAL GLEANINGS, 



COMPILED AND ARRANGED 



MRS. CATHARINA V. R. liONNEY. 

ii 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND AUTOGRAPHS 

IN TWO VOLUMES. 

VOLUME L 



SECOND EDITION. 



ALBANY, N. T. : 
J. MUNSELL 82 STATE STREET. 

1875. 



^?^ 



^^s 



<%^ 



^^ ^.^^^'^ 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

The Legacy, Why Bequeathed : Introductory. A Modest Request. Asser- 
tion of Rev. Henry Ward Beeclier. Autobiograpliies, wlien Popular. Auto- 
gTa])liical Sketches. Gleaninjrs. Historical Ti-ail. Our great Pro<jenitors,t]ieIsh 
and Isha. St. Nicholas's Day. Oranje Boven in the Ascendancy. Dutchman's Pe- 
rennial Standard. Santa Clans. Henry Hudson at the Fuyck. Patroons of 1629. 
De Herr Killian Van Rensselaer. Village of Beaverwyck. First House of Worship. 
Vigilance of Albanians. Indian Depredations. Citizens Scalped on Bethlehem 
Turnpike. Commerce of Early Times. Anneke Janse. Hendrick Van Rens- 
selaer. Power of Attorney. Indians on the War path. Rescue of Jesuit Priest. 
Destruction of Schenectady. Memorial Painting. Dutch Ancestry. Robert 
Sanders. Orders to Armorer 138 Years Ago. Quaint Letters, 1 

CHAPTER II. 

Colonial History : Robert Sanders tloySir William Johnson. The same to 
Col. Wendell. Same to General Lyman. Same to New Hampshire Committee. 
Same to Thomas Hubbard. Gen. Wolfe at Quebec. Robert Sanders to Richard 
Wibard. Aunt Schuyler's Mansion Burnt. A Spicy Letter. Death of Robert 
Sanders. Christian Stadle's Patent. Col. Philip Van Rensselaer. Affray at 
Boston. Destruction of Tea. General Schuyler to Philip Van Rensselaer. Robert 
Ray to same. Col. Ethan Allen. Firing from the Asia. Committee of One 
Hundred. Campaign in Canada. Interesting Letters. List of Officers and Spoils 
Taken. Capture of Col. Allen. Death of Montgomery. TeunisTs. Van Vechten 
to Philip V"au Rensselaer. Abraham P. Lott to same. Richard Varick to same. 
Daniel Hale. Henry Glen to same. Early Receipts. Declaration of Independ- 
ence. Christopher Yates to P. Van Rensselaer, 24 

CHAPTER III. 

SuRRENDEK OP BuRGOYNE : General Hendrick K. Van Rensselaer. Burgoyne 
at Ticonderoga. Hoisting Cannon. Battleof Fort Ann. Van Rensselaer Severely 
Wounded. Silver Balls. Battle of Saratoga. Van Alstyne Goes as a Spy. 
Surrender of Burgoyne's Army. Col. Nicholas Van Rensselaer Sent Express to 
Albany. Great Doings. Army Receipts. Col. Wagoner at Fort Stanwix. 
General Gansevoort. Han Yost. Daniel Hale to Philip Van Rensselaer. Capt. 
Frederick Visscher and Sir John John.son. Attack of the Visscliers. Aunty Put- 
man. General Waslungton at Scluinectady. Cornelius Ray to Philip Van Rens- 
selaer. General Stephen Van Rensselaer. A Return to Lord Sterling. Letters 
from Yale College. Timothy Pickering. Gen. Gansevoort to Philip Van Rens- 
selaer. Wedding Invitations 90 years ago. Dancing Assembly in 1791. Wash- 
ington's Bon Repos. Union College Committee to Gen. Schuyler. P. Van Rens- 
selaer to George Clinton, 58 

CHAPTER IV. 

General Wayne's Campaign : Gen. St. Clair's Surprise. Appointment of 
Gen. Wayne. Solomon Van Rensselaer. Marching Orders from Gen. Kiujx. Far 
West. Abstract of Sundries. Commission for Captain. Capt. Campbell to Capt. 



I 



v Contents. 

Van RxinssclatT. Capt. Turner to same. Lieut. N. I. Vissclier to same. Sorrel 
Troon, (hm. Wilkinson Tests the Metal. Garden Destroyed. An Offset. In- 
dians Troublesome. Batthiof the Miami. In<lians Routed. Capt. Van Rensselaer 
Severely Wounded. Extract of Capt. Carav)bell's Will. Little Turtle. Capt. 
Van Rensselaer to Lieut. Visscher. The same to Gen. Wayne. Several Letters 
from Oliicers. K. K. Van Rensselaer to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Henry Cuyler 
not Dead, 



89 



CHAPTER V. 

EuKOPE.\N Trip in 1705: Lieut. Visscher to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Fort 
Wayne. Lieut. Posey to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Robert S. Van Rensselaer to his 
Sister. James Cuyler to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Letter from Amsterdam. Secre- 
tary of War to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Capt. Webb to same. Lieut. Blue to same. 
West Point Letters. Sol. Van Rensselaer to Secretary of War. Capt. Van Rens- 
selaer to his Cousin. Dutch Letter. Mr. and Mrs. Church. Visit to Blenheim. 
House. Dukeof Malboroutrh. Majxnificent Park. Wedding Invitation. Maria 
Gansevoort. Abraham Hun. Tea Party, 109 



CHAPTER VI. 

Cumberland Line: Tender Surveillance. Marriaf!:e. Marching Orders. In- 
teresting Route. Letters and Diary. Down the Ohio in Flat Boat. Fort Wash- 
ington. Lexington Letter. Gen. Wilkinson to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Knoxville. 
Cherokee Indians Dissatisfied. Lieut. Visscher to Capt. Van Rensselaer. Ricliard 
Varick to Phillip Van Rensselaer. Secretary of War to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
Letter from Fort Niagara. Major of Cavalry, 180 



CHAPTER VII. 

Troublous Times : Death of General Washington. Mrs. Adams's Drawing 
Room Deferred. Funeral Procession in Albany, General Hamilton to Secretary 
of War. Same to Gen. Wilkinson. Governor Jay to Secretary of War. Gen. 
Wilkinson to Major Van Rensselaer. Duel in West Indies. " Shoot him on the 
Spot." Adjutant General. Death of General Schuyler. Judge Van Ness to 
Sol. Van Rensselaer. " Liberty and Equality." Political Elements in Albany. 
E. C. Genet's Counter Statement. Federalist's Meeting. Republican Meeting. 
Affray. Gov. Taylerto Sol. Van Rensselaer. Statement of facts by Federal Com- 
mittee 150 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Speech of Hon. Elisiia Williams : Elisha Jenkins vs. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer rx. John Tayler. The same vs. Charles D. Cooper. The 
same cs. Francis Bloodgood. Awards in the several Cases. Elisha Williams. 
Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Renss^-laer. First Steam boat. Several Letters 
from Judge Van Ness. Gov. Morgan Lewis to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Several 
Letters. Gen. Van Rensselaer to the Public. Same to William Simmons, John 
P. Van Ness to Judge Van Ness. Gen. Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Death 
of General Gansevoort, 170 



CHAPTER IX. 

Declatiation OX^ Wak in 1812 : Maj. Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer in Com- 
mand of Forces. Adj. Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer as Aid-de camp. Departure of 
(jeneral and Suite. Entertainments. John Lovett as Secretary and Military Aid. 
Interesting Letters. Sackett's Harbor. Ogdensburgh. Sol.'Van Rensselaer to 
his wif^^. (TtMi. Van Rensselaer to (iovernor Tomjjkins. Tour of Inspection. 
Queer N ight Quarters. Oswego. Niagara Frontier. Destitute State of the Army. 
Head Quarters. Gen. Wadsworth. Armistice. "Solomon Van Rensselaer's 



Contents. v 

Diplomacy," Major S. S. Forinan. Jacob Ten Eyck. Sol. Van Ronsselaor to 
liis wife. General Brock. Surrender of Hall's Army. Gen. Van Rensselaer to 
Maj. Gen. Dearborn, 194 

CHAPTER X. 

CiiiTiCAL Situation of tiik U. S. Army: General Orders. Gen. Dearborn 
to Gen. Van Rensselaer. Gen. Van Rensselaer to Major Gen. Sheaffe. Maj. Gen. 
Brock to Gen. Van Rensselaer. Gen. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Dearborn. Con- 
scientious Scruples. U. S. Troops Should not be " Hulled." Gen. Brock's Procla- 
mation. Spicy Letters. Contemplated Duel. General Orders. Major Lovett to 
Abraham Van Vechten. Cajitain Jenninos's Poetical Order. Gen. Van Rens- 
selaer to Gen. Brock. Col. Van Rensselaer to Abraham Van Vechten. Capt. 
Whistler. Colonel Van Rensselaer to General Lewis. Major Cuyler to Col. Van 
Rensselaer. Prisoners of War. Revoking Sentence of Death. Major Lovett's 
Letters, 213 

CHAPTER XL 

Battle on Queenston Heights : Col. Marinas Willet to Gen. Van Rens- 
selaer, Gen. Smyth to Gen. Van Rensselaer. "' Rebukes Gen. Smyth's Imperti- 
nence." Proposed Council of officers. Death of Major Cuyler. Col. Van Rensselaer 
to his Wife. Preparations to Cross the River. Lieutenant Sim. General Brock's 
Last Letter. Col. Van Rensselaer Visits the British Side. Brass Howitzers 
Recognized. Invasion of Canada. Col. Van Rensselaer Severely Wounded. 
Captain Wool in Command. Major Lovett's Battery. Loss of Hearing. Gen. 
Vau Rensselaer to Secretary of War. Cowardice of Militia, 2-38 

CHAPTER XIL 

Resignation of Major Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer : Lieut. Col. Scott. 
Encounter with Indians. Official Letters. Gen. Wadsworth to Gen. Van Rens- 
selaer. Major Lovett's Literesting Letters. Col. Van Rensselaer to his wife. 
Exchange of Prisoners. Gen. Sheaflfe to Gen. Van Rensselaer. Regret that Col. 
Van Rensselaer was Wounded. Oilers Assistance. Respect shown Gen. Brock's 
Remains. Brig. Gen. Evans. Several Letters. Capt. Wool to Col. Van Rens- 
selaer. Governor Tompkins. Gen. Van Rensselaer's Public Reception at Albany. 
Removal of C'ol. Van Rensselaer to Buffiilo. Noble Offer. New Song. Gen. Van 
Rensselaer to Col. Van Rensselaer. Return to Albany. Col. Van Rensselaer's 
Honored Reception. Judge Van Ness to Col. Van Rensselaer. Address of Wash- 
ington Benevolent Society, 200 

CHAPTER XIH. 

Major John Lovett's Election to the 13th Congress : J. Robinson to 
Col. Van Rensselaer. Dr. C3'renius Cliapin to same. Generals Smyth and Porter. 
Review of Queenston Battle. Challenge from Peter B. Porter to Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer. Major Lovett's Statement. Soldier Friend. Maj. Lovett to Solomon 
Southwick. Robert Macomb to same. Governor Tompkins. Col. Van Rensse- 
laer's Letter. Encounter between Maj. Lovett and Gen. Porter. Elected to 
Congress. Lovett's Letters from Washington. Prince of Schaghticoke, 283 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Interesting Letters from Washington : John Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 
Same to Sol. Van Rensselaer. No Artist Represent a Deaf Man. Enemy near. 
Peril to the Capital. Gen. Wilkinson Ordered North. Gov. Tompkins to Sol. 
Van Rensselaer. Major General. Invitation to accompany Gen. Wilkinson. Sol. 
Van Rensselaer to Gen Wilkinson. General Hull's Court Martial. Sentenced to 
be shot. The '* Albany Quill." " (lieorge M. Bibb to J. J. Crittenden." Col. Fen- 
wick to Sol. Vau Rensselaer. Gen. Armstrong. Enemy at Washington. Defense 
of New York. Letters, 303 



vi Contents. 



CHAPTER XV. 

Honors to Ma,t. (jen. Richard Montgomkry : Maj. IvovPtt to Sol. Vnii 
Rensselaer. Judf^e Van Ness to same. Gen. Van Rensselaer to same. Death 
of Gen. H. K. Van Rensselaer. Gen. Lewis to Sol. Van Rensselaer. General Orders. 
Adjutant General at Whitehall. Official Report. Bearers at Albany. Montgom- 
ery's Remains to New York. Death of Major Lovett. Gen. Van Rensselaer to Si >1 . 
Van Rensselaer. Judge Van Ness to same. Solomon Van Rensselaer Elected 
to the IGth Congress. Home Letters. Several Letters from Gov. Lewis q,nd 
J udge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Judge Spencer to same, 323 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Missouri Compromise : Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Dr. Van 
Rensselaer to same. Visit to Mount Vesuvius. Several Letters from Governor 
Clinton. Visit to Mount Vernon. Death of Commodore Decatur. Judge McKown 
to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Impeachment and Acquittal. Falling of Chandelier. 
Election of Speaker Tayler. Missouri Constitution. "Rascally Post Masters." 
Gov. Clinton to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Judge Van Ness to same. Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer to his Wife. Henry Clay's Resolution. Missouri Compromise. Charles 
G. Haines to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Home Letters, 344 

CHAPTER XVn. 

Appointment of Albany Post Master : Tribute of Respect. Removal of 
Adjutant General. Re-election to the Seventeenth Congress. Judge Van Ness 
to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Death of Major N. L Visscher. Gov. Clinton to Sol. 
Van Rensselaer. Sol. Van Rensselaer to the Patroon. Judge McKown to Sol. 
Van Rensselaer. Ap]ieal to the Post Master General. Sol. Van Rensselaer to 
Dr. Bay. Appointed Post Master. " Billy Winne the Penny Post." Resignation 
of Sol. Van. Rensselaer. John D. Dickinson to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Walter 
Patterson to same, 366 

CHAPTER XVin. 

Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer Elected to Congress : Correspondence 
about Albany Post Office. John D. Dickinson to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Walter 
Patterson to same. Alfred Conkling to same. Joshua Cushman to same. Fire 
at Mount Hope. Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Joseph Delaplaine to same. 
(len. Van Rensselaer takes his seat. Suspicious Persons. Several Letters from 
the Patroon. Judge Conkling to Sol. Van Rensselaer, Joseph C. Yates Elected 
Governor. Letters. Death of Judge Van Ness. Henry Clay to So!. Van Rens- 
selaer. Eastern Section of Erie Canal Completed. Dinner and Ball at Albany. 
Gov. Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Several Letters, 388 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Visit of Gen. the Marquis de La Fayette : General Orders. Arrival 
of La Fayette. Col. Elliott to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Gen. La Fayette's Visit to 
Albany. Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. J. B. Stuart to same. Progress of 
La Fayette. Escort to Massachusetts Line. Lebanon Springs Hotel Register. 
Governor Clinton's Visit to Ohio. His Enthusiastic Reception. Dinner to Gen. 
Sol. Van Rensselaer at Detroit. Speecli of the Mayor. Gen. Van Rensselaer's 
Reply, 411 

CHAPTER XX. 

EitiE ('analCklkrkation : Completion of Canal. Passage of Boats. Delega- 
tion Irom Albany. Celebration in New York City. Acpialic Procession. Cere- 
mony by Governor Clinton. (Jrand Canal Ball. Several Letters. Visit to 
Queenston Battle (Jround. Horrible Assassination. Visit to Albany Jail. 
Execution of Jesse Strang. Death of Gov. De Witt Clinton. Funeral 424 



Contents. vii 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Inteuesttng IjKttrtis from South America : General ITarriaon to Sol. Van 
Rensselaer, and bis Answer. Departure of Rensselaer Van Rensselaer. Lett(^r 
to his father Mona Passage. Preparations for Pirates. Frightened Frcjnch- 
man. Boca Chica. Ship on a Reef. Approach to the Peninsula. Castle of St. 
Philippe. Carthagena. Liberty to Thirty Slaves. Cap of Freedom. Festivi- 
ties of the Holidays. Further Progress. Cocoa Trees. Maliogany Trees. Crown 
of Beauty. Forest Birds. Black Monkeys. Canine Justice. Arrival at Barran- 
quilla. Warm Welcome. Bolivar on the March. Popayan in Commotion. Gen. 
Van Rensselaer to his Son 486 

CHAPTER XXII. 

South American Letters Continued : Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his 
Father. Visit to Santa Martha. Large Red Monkeys. Mangrove Trees. Fort 
at Point Saviuilla. Contest between a Full Grown Negro and Fierce Tiger. 
Tigress Killed by a Young Nimrod. Duck Gunning on the " Roza." Adventure 
with a Venomous Snake. Letters from Gen. Harrison. New anecdote of Gen. 
Jackson. Phases of Society. A Christening Concluded witli a Waltz. Cigars. 
Fencing Exercise. Spanish Funeral. The Carnival. Palm Sunday. Post Master 
General to Gen. Van Rensselaer. Thomas P. Moore Supersedes Gen. Harrison. 
Strenuous Efforts to Effect Gen. Van Rensselaer's Removal. Gen. Armstrong to 
Judge Spencer. Barranquilla Letters,. .455 

CHAPTER XXHL 

South American Letters Continued : Sailing up the River Magdalena. 
John Glen Nearly Killed by the Caraccas Earthquake. His Campaign under 
Gen. Montillo. Antic Tricks of Monkeys. Crocodiles. Savannas. Arrival at 
Mompox. An Adventure with the Governor. Gov. Van Ness. Edward Living- 
ston and Pierre Van Cortlandt to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Plumage of the Macaws. 
Orange (Proves. Bananas. Pine Apples. Alligators' Hatching Place for Tent. 
Sylvan Nymphs. Indian Hamlets. Difficult Whirlpools. Nearly a Tragical 
Event. Steep Acclivity. Rattle Snake's Warning. Disembarked at Honda. Re- 
port of Gen. Harrison's Removal. Pleasant Letters. Governor Provides an 
English Saddle. Mounted on Sure-footed Mules. Ascending the Andes,. .. . 476 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

South American Letters Continued : Halt at Gauduas. New Tariff by 
Gen. Bolivar. Colonel Campbell. Bolivar in Peru. Picturesque Valley. Plain 
of Bogota, 8,220 Feet Above the Sea. Spanish Cavalcades. Appearance of Country. 
Arrival at Bogota. United States Legation. Gen. Harrison's Warm Welcome. 
Splendid Rout on July 4tli. Making Calls. The Duenna's Surveillance. Sun- 
day the Gala-day. Gambling Universal. Visit to Natural Bridge of Pandi. 
Stair-case Mountain. Terrific Looking Hole. Novel Dinner Party. The Belles 
of Fusugazuga. Bull Fight 49!) 

CHAPTER XXV. 

South American Letters Continued : Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his 
Father. Rol)bers Attacking Mail Boat. Spanish Customs. Fashionable Ala- 
meda. Excursions. Lofty Andes. Gen. Bolivar's Country Seat. Threatening 
Placards. Home Letters. Serious Accident to Dr. James McNaughten. Daniel 
Webster to Sol. Van Rensselaer. Falls of Tequendama. Arrival of Minister 
Moore. Distrust in City. General Cordova. Presentation of Col. Moore to the 
Spanish Government. Speeches. Gen. Harrison Visits Her British Majesty's 
Consul at Anolayma. Venerable Arch-Bishop's Reception. Depositions at War 
Office. An Ungrateful Miscreant. Singular Conduct of Moore. Gallant Espousal 
of Gen. Harrison's Cause. Intriguers at Work. Perilous Journey. Passports. 
General Cordova, 516 



NOTE. 



In printing the correspondence which is presented in the following 
pages, it was decided to give each writer the benefit of his own peculiarity 
of style in every respect, as well in orthography, punctuation, and the 
use of capital letters, as in all other matters. The letters are faithful 
transcripts of the originals, and the reader will observe, not only the 
great extent of the correspondence and the wide range of topics embraced, 
but also the abundance of new facts in the history of these men and of 
the times in which they lived, here brought to light. 



Legacy of IIistomcal Gleanings. 



CHAPTER I. 
The Legacy — Why Bequeathed. 

" Come, Aunty, now tell of the years tliat are past, 

And those soul-stirring times in which loved ones were cast ; 

Of early campaigns when dear Grandfather fought 

For American freedom so valiantly bought ! 

When firm hearts were wrung, as the battle raged wild. 

Yet, ' Jiis lungs oozing hlood, icith complacence, he smiUd !' * 

Give scenes of sweet peace where love's memories cling. 

As bright visions of joy, or keen sorrow they fling ; 

Relate what you saw in the great globe you spanu'd, 

In Japan, quaint and mystic The Flowery Land. 

And now as from Chaos, bright pictures you trace. 

In my fond heart your record shall deep find a place." 

Hattie said one morning, " Aunt Cuy, you have been now twice around 
the world, many very interesting scenes of that extensive tour are da- 
guerreotyped, most certainly, on your miud ; let the Legacy you bequeath 
to me, comprise a chronicle of the carefully hoarded incidents in your truly 
eventful life, interwoven with the traditionary antecedents of our most 
noble Dutch patriarchs, back from the very beginning ! " 

Humph ! Quite a modest request from a pleasing young lady in the 
budding Spring-time of joyous life, to a serenely quiet Missionary widow, 
of over half a century, in hoary and chilly Autumn's sere decadence! 
I have been thinking over, during weary vigils, her expressed desire, shall 
I acquiesce ? 

Rev. Henry Ward Beecher makes this sweeping assertion against inact- 
ivity : " Each individual must produce something, must do something to- 
ward benefiting the condition of his fellow individual, iu order to fulfill in 
some measure the ends for which he was created." 

Yes, we fully agree with the clerical gentleman, and are convinced 
that even the " Little matters of daily occurrence are of greater import- 
ance in social life, than great matters of rare occurrence; and personal 
behavior in trifles is productive of the greatest amount of social and 
domestic pleasure and pain. Now as we are fully posted as to our duty 

' " I beheld him (Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer), in a gallant charge at the 
head of his troop, shot through the body, and with the blood oozing from his 
lungs, still smiling with complacency." — Wilkinson's Memoirs. 

1 



2 Legacy of Historical Gleanings., 

in the promises, we are also impressed most forcibly with the reminder 
of these potent " Three suj;j;cstiuns : 

'• First. Go to no place where you cannot ask God to go with you. 

" Second. Engage in no business which you cannot ask God to bless. 

" Third. Iudul2;e in no pleasure for which you cannot return thanks to 
God." 

Therefore, as we propose keeping these instructions in view, we will 
modestly yield to pressing entreaties and strive, as a graphic narrator, to 
portray "our past" in a tableau vivant. 

" Autobiographies are not often very popular, but when supplemented 
by personal recollections may possibly be«productive of benefit to others;" 
and realizing that all your sympathies will be enlisted, and harmonize 
with the incitement which finally determined me to comply with your 
flattering persuasions, I have cheerfully undertaken the pleasing task. 
Fearing I may not be specially well qualified for this work of delineation 
and cosmography, must trust to your partial indulgence to excuse any 
flagrant imperfections in not wielding skillfully the events portrayed. 

" The ancients emulously encouraged one another, by the remembrance 
of the heroic deeds of their ancestors, to vigilance in peaceful times, and 
to intrepidity in the hour of danger. Every thing among the Greeks 
conduced to plant in their hearts the most heroic counige, by the remem- 
brance of their ancestors, whose principles and sentiments were the spur 
to the noblest actions. The lowest Greeks were exalted to a level with 
their greatest chiefs by a glorious death ; their memory was renewed by 
the most solemn oftering to the latest posterity, and their images were 
placed next to those of the Gods." 

The same clannish pride, produced by the remembrance of the hero- 
ism and valor of our ancestors, makes it a precious privilege to a daughter 
of the Van Rensselaer family to record, the '-ways and means" or 
devious paths, by which its members, (together with the greater part 
of other illustrious personages, to whom allusion is necessarily made from 
the intimate linking and intwining of co-existent events,) have passed to 
" That undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveler returns," 
where " Immortality is their birthright and inheritance." With increased 
avidity and some degree of anxiety we shall " await the public verdict 
upon this work," and although laid open to, we would wish to disarm 
criticism by frankly confessing we do not expect our first and last essay 
in " book making " to be faultless, far from it. In 1831 my brother 
Rensselaer Van Rensselaer, under the signature of Clio, arranged some 
numbers of autographical sketches at the instance of an advertisement in 
the Alhanij Daily Advertiser, published by a Committee of the Albany 
Institute appointed for the purpose of collecting materials for a contemplated 
history of Albany. The communications seem to have been satisfactory 
from the following notice which soon after appeared : "The Committee 
of the Albany Institute, who are preparing a history of the city, acknow- 
ledge the receipt of some very valuable papers from an unknown corre- 
spondent, to whom they tender their thanks, with the hope that the residue 
of the information therein promised maybe ibrwarded as early as possible. — 
C. R. Webster, Ch'n." 

Clio requested, if it would not be infringing upon any of their es- 
tablished regulations, after the publication, to have his original eifusions 
returned entire to him. This was accordingly done, and those sketches 
are now in my possession, and interwoven in this record of historical 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 3 

gleanings. " All books are properly the record of the history of past 
men." What thoughts past men had in them ; what actions past men did ; 
the summary of all books, whatsoever, lies there. " The past history of 
one's own native country is a broad beaten highway for every traveler." 

As it is not pleasant to be charged with plagiarism I would IVankly 
state, in this compilement of materials, I have had access to my father's 
letters and papers, with the benefit of Clio's journal as an auxiliary. 
And following in the footsteps of assiduous reapers in the historical field 
have also gleaned from General Wilkinson's Memoirs; Lossing's Field 
Book of the Revolution ; Lossing's War of 1812; Stone's Life of Joseph 
Braut ; Sinims's Border Wars of New York; Thacher's Military Journal ; 
Writings of S. Wells Williams, LL.D. ; and gathered a cluster of extracts 
with selections from such other sources, which have been grouped together 
as best suited the gleaner's fancy. Leaving each admiring reader at 
liberty to consider any a[)propriations of their writings, to illustrate more 
fully what we wish to detail, as a compliment to their productions, for 
" our wishes are presentments of our capabilities." 

The greatest difficulty which the fox-hunter experiences when engaged 
in his favorite pastime of reaping game, is to find the trail. That dis- 
covered, he follows '' the true nosed pack" in its unerring course and 
eventually overtakes the object of his eager pursuit. Not so in the his- 
torian's sphere. His chief difficulty in finding the trail of circumstances 
best calculated to make his work yield solid, nutritive food, to be authentic, 
most useful, entertaining, complete and of course widely popular, isc((ually 
as great and onerous; he may glean diligently but he must depend in 
very many cases upon his own perseverance and ingenuity to trail out 
and to worry down his game. In ranging those vast and unfrequented 
hunting grounds of Memory, it is not extraordinary that many traditions 
and viva-voce narrations, with a " bit of personal history " which used to 
delight my youthful fancy " in auld lang syne," should have been da- 
guerreotyped on my mind and still adhere to my recollections in uncon- 
nected fragments. Accordingly, as these "yesterday's telegrams" of our 
exploratory researches are received from the great storehouse, we will 
endeavor to put in a detailed account of persons and things. Thus from 
a mass of biographical matter we also will select the whole, or parts of 
letters penned by notable persons and others who are naturally grouped 
with them, interspersed with a few extracts of home letters, which portray 
the workings of the inner man ; giving also a desultory survey of the 
political field at that period. As all our needed Prefatory is contained in 
this opening chapter, and being a first cousin of the ancient and veritable 
Biedrich Knickerbocker, will start as so authoritatively requested " back 
from the beginning" in historic gleanings. Our great progenitors, the 
Ish and Isha, were created perfect in the image of God, though most un- 
fortunately after a time the Isha became a " Woman's Rights " convert 
and transmitted to posterity the seeds of disobedience. Their descendants, 
. the great family of mankind, consisted of the five races : the Caucasian, 
or white race; the Mongolian, or yellow race; the African, or black 
race ; the Malay, or brown race ; and the American, or red race ; the 
lineage of these is worthy of the parent stock. 

If we put on our " seven league boots," after many long strides, w^e 
shall find, verified from the most authentic sources, that the clever inhabit- 
ants of Holland, our " Fadder leindt," Mother England, and our sponsor 
Franco (wlio chivalrously stood up for us in feeble infancy, forming 



4 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

the three-cord nucleus of" American strength or durability), constitute our 
little coterie of civilized Caucasians whose pedigree dates back from the 
notable Ish and ]sha. 

The incipient teachings of the " strong minded " were clearly demon- 
strated when a few of the wayward children broke loose from the whole- 
some, or arbitrary restraint of the good old mother's tyrannical exactions. 
Enlisting under the banner of King Immanuel and guided by a star 
from Heaven, "countless myriads" of our past ancientry, took their 
journey " into a far country." In the trying exigences of our noble 
Pilgrim fathers' first experiment in this " land of the free," many of 
the devoted band soon found their final resting spot in the forest hill 
cemetery where the entombed dead repose beneath the gay autumnal 
leaves. The Mayflower's passengers landed on Plymouth rock Decem- 
ber 21st. " A dreary prospect was before them; on one side lay a vast 
wilderness covered with a snowy mantle, on the other, rolled the broad 
Atlantic, yet their trust in God remained unshaken on those inhospitable 
shores." The survivors " acquired their perfection only in the pure atmo- 
sphere and golden sunlight of Christianity." It is the patient narrator 
who records their prosperity as they rise; who blazons forth the splendor 
of their noontide meridian; who props their feeble memorials as they 
totter to decay ; who gathers together their scattered fragments as they 
rot; and who piously, at length, collects their ashes into the mausoleum 
of his work, and rears a monument that will ever transmit their renown 
to all succeeding ages. Indeed events are nothing without the faithful 
delineations of the impartial historian. 

This, too, is December 7th, St. Nicholas's Day ; quite a happy coinci- 
dence. The annual return of the festival of St. Nicholas, the patron saint 
of the Dutchman, was always to me a jubilee, a pleasant retrospect, an 
epoch that recalled the delight of childish days, when permitted to go 
and see the beautiful room brilliantly illuminated — not with jets of gas — 
but sperm candles, and appropriately decorated in festoons and with 
clusters of choice ever-greens. The walls were tastefully draped with nu- 
merous flags, while the ensign of Holland, the society's banner of Oranje 
BovEN was conspicuously displayed and graced the head of the room ; 
and from immediately altove the ample chair of the venerable president, 
a large artificial sun sun shot forth its deep crimson rays with a fine efi"ect, 
" The standards of the various societies of the city, and of the military 
corps, interspersed with the interesting and curious collection of rare 
paintings were really exceedingly attractive to both old and young." 

On the tables, upon the walls, and along the ceiling, the notable Orange 
emblems were arranged with good taste. Conservatories contributed their 
choicest flowers to beautify and embellish the feast and shed their sweet 
fragrance around. " A numerous company sat down to a sumptuous 
entertainment at seven o'clock ; good cheer and kind feelings were mingled 
with pleasing recollections of the history of the country of their descent 
and of their ancestors who settled in this good laud." 

Dutchmen " never do things by halves, especially when a good dinner 
is the object of their particular solicitude." "The bountifully spread table 
was uniformly heavily loaded and groaning under the richly seasoned 
viands; the dinner prepared and served without fail, in a very superior 
style and decorous manner for the notable and worthy burghers of those 
" wassail days." " An abundant dinner and good living was from time 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 5 

immemorial a fundamental part of the creed of an open handed and whole 
hearted shy Dutchman who was impervious to innovations." 

The entire affair was always conducted with admirable success. Nothino' 
seemed to be lacking of national dishes : supaan en nielk, hoofd kaas^ 
rolktjrs, hielfjcs en pootjees, worat, kndlefjes, kool slaa, heet en koud, 
oU-kockjes, and other primitive luxuries. At this annual stuffing as 
a matter of course there were also myriads of foreign dishes : sturgeon 
or Albany beef, pickled and boiled; savory venison, turkeys, pigeons, 
pastry and dainties of all kinds. Those respected sires " tenderly cher- 
ished the pious thought that they owed all their enjoyments to the Divine 
Source of beneficence, to whom they were finally accountable for their 
actions, and gratitude was now uppermost." The venerated Dominie 
invoked a blessing and then the pleased gormandizers discussed the merits 
of the splendid banquet according to their own maxim, " more than 
enough constitdtes a feast." Yaas ! yaas ! the dinner excellent, the wine 
delicious, the toasts patriotic, the fine baud discoursing music most 
enlivening, all contributing to their pleasures and no occasion to vent any 
stock of spleen. Abraham Van Vechten, Esq., president of the society, 
presided with his usual urbanity and accustomed acceptance to all ; for 
there was, in this just assemblage, a tacit acknowledgment of his su- 
periority and preeminence even with his honored compeers. After re- 
moving the cloth, "Standing toasts and volunteer toasts" were given, 
among which : By the president, " Holland the land of our fathers, and 
the cradle of civil and religious liberty beyond the Atlantic." Many of 
the toasts were choice and pithy. 

" Het Vaderlandt, The land of the free and the home of the brave." 
"Santa Claus, the warm hearted friend of children; long may he tra- 
vel and find good roads. 

" The fair sex of Holland — the fairest volume in the library of Nature." 
By General Solomon Van llennssclaer : " Gesontheid en voompoed aim 
St. Claus en st/n nageslacliten" (health and prosperity to St Nicholas and 
his posterity). 

By the plate of each true born aristocrat, (united to each other by the 
strong ties of consanguinity, )was placed the snow-white clay pipe with 
stem half a yard long, and the bowl of it decorated with wide orange color 
ribbon, Oranje Boven., of two yards long. After the appetite was fully 
satiated, they seemed to expend all their vivacity in the much loved pipe, 
well stuflfed with the fragrant lobak as they tranquilly smoked ; puffing 
away the vapor with an impetus that sent it in graceful wreaths, float- 
ing above and soon forming an impervious cloud. What a solace one 
whifi" from that long pipe appeared to give ! The countenance had an air 
of tranquility and decorum, as they contemplated, with evident satisfaction, 
the orange colored cockade as a badge on their coats, or the same color 
ribbon through the button hole of some buckish scion. These good burgh- 
ers were happy; " the inner man was at peace with himself," and every 
thing went off charmingly as a decided success, even though they were 
so far away from the fatherland. " Tiie inhabitants of a city built on the 
foundations of Fort Orange have a grateful recollection of their Dutch 
forefathers ; and a just estimate of tlieir quiet way of doing things, together 
with the noble achievements of an ancestry which can never be sufficiently 
praised while 

' The Orange l)annor as of old, 
Still wiivcs in many a flapping fold. 
The patriot heart to draw.' " 



6 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Then, too, the good St. Nicholas was not oblivious of the " little ones" 
either at the Anniversary Festival or tlie merry Christmas time. 
" 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house 
Not a creature was stirrintr, not even a mouse ; 
The stockinets were hung by the chimney with care, 
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ; 
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, 
While visions of sugar-plums danced through their heads." 

His coveted gifts were always found in the well-filled hose hung up 
so conspicuously in the chimney corner, making many little hearts joyous 
beyond expression at the stirring sight before them. 

" They laughed and they cried in their innocent gleo, 
And shouted for papa to come quick and see 
What presents Old Santa Claus brought in the night." 

But woe to the luckless children who had been disobedient or naughty, 
for a proper puni.shment and salutary mortification was sure to await them 
as a reminder in the .shape of a trim little birchen rod ; pieces of hard black 
coal nicely enveloped in paper; or a pig's tail dried, ensconced under the 
truly choice dainties ! What a flush of crimson sufi'uses the astonished 
countenance, wliat a throb of subdued anguish sliakes the sensitive and 
conscious little one chilled by the failure, herself tlie chief accuser in her 
credulous simplicity and giving voice and pathos to the intensity of deep 
regret, that the good Santa Claus should have known her fault. This is 
not an ideal sorrow but a trying experience of dreamy yearning to the 
trustful child as her heart fluttered with this trying disappointment ! Sad 
that the time-honored festival of St. Nicholas should have fallen into such 
disrepute, for we ever took pleasure in it, and I'elt a proper pride that our 
forefathers hailed from the " A'aderland." 

In the early part of the seventeenth century — September 1609 — 
Henry Hudson, while exploring the river which now bears his name, ran his 
vessel aground on the south point of the " middle ground" opposite the 
present city of Hudson. But being unwilling to leave his task unfinished, 
he manned some small boats and with them continued the expedition up 
as far as where the city of Albany now stands. Here he found a large 
number of Indians engaged at fishing, and from the circumstances called 
it the Fvyck, the fishnet or the fishing place, also from the crescent form 
of the bay. From this he dropped down to the south point of Van Ren.s- 
selaer island and bivouacked for the night. In the morning the party were 
very much alarmed at finding themselves surrounded by a number of 
" the tawny sons of the forest," but the pacific deportment of these un- 
expected and certainly unwelcome visitors, allayed their apprehensions. 
With an almost reckless hardihood the whites accompanied them through 
the ford by which they had gained the island and landed at the foot of 
that classic mount of legendary story, Kiddenlworjhten or treasure hill of 
Captain Kidd, the pirate and freebooter. " The hills were then covered 
with the pine, the maple, the oak and the elm. The wild-vine clambered 
in rich luxuriance on the forest trees, and threw its graceful festoons from 
the mossy banks of the river. The slender deer bounded undisturbed 
through the tangled thickets or bent his antlered head to drink from the 
limpid streams that crossed his path. The beaver sported unmolested 
in the bright waters and slept in conscious security on the low grounds." 
After gazing at the beautiful prospect, the yellow haze on the near eleva- 
tions, and listening to the musical birds they proceeded again by land 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 7 

together in perfect safety to the fnyck. It is supposed that a little trade 
was carried uii at the time and, perhaps, sonjethin^ of a tallc^ but not very 
much accomplished. The delay of the adventurous exploring party on 
this second visit to the future site of Fort Orange and home of the true 
Dutch Knickerbockers, subsequently Albany, was not of long continu- 
ance, and vi'hen the intrepid but ill-i'ated navigator left it now, he never 
saw it more. "On 22d of June, 1611, a mutinous crew took command 
of his ship after his return from England, put Hudson, his son and seven 
others into a frail boat, turned them adrift in the trackless ocean, and 
abandoned them to their fate. They were never heard of more and as 
they drifted slowly away, were soon hid by the lonesome and to them 
dismal nightfall from the gaze of their cruel murderers." 

Id 1614, sis years before the landing of the May-flower at Plymouth, a 
fort and trading-house were erected on the spot where Albany now stands, 
called Fort Orange, and about the same time another fort and trading- 
house were established on the south-west point of Manhattan island, called 
New Amsterdam. " The whole colony received the name of New Nether- 
land. The first permanent agricultural colony was established along the 
Hudson in 1623 by the ' Privileged West India (Jompany,' with direct 
view to colonization. A number of settlers during this year were sent 
out from Holland, who were most heartily welcomed by the few previous 
inhabitants. Before these arrived the old sojourners had been two years 
without the necessary supplies, and had been obliged to cut up the sails 
of their boats for the clothing absolutely required. The yoke of ex- 
perience had indeed been very trying, in such an isolated situation to the 
entire little company, and they bailed with delight the new arrivals. 
In 1629, the company adopted a charter of ' Liberties and exemptions 
for patroons, masters, and private individuals, who should plant colonies 
in New Netherland, or import thither any neat cattle.' The terms of 
encouragement to those who should send out settlers were great. Such 
as should undertake to plant a colony of fifty souls, upwards of fifteen 
years old, were to be acknowledged PATaoONS, a name denoting something 
baronial and lordly in rank and means. They were also allowed to select 
lands for many miles." 

Our pedigree in the Dutch dynasty dates from De Heer Killian Van 
Rensselaer, the pearl and diamond merchant of Amsterdam in Holland. 
" He was also a director in the Dutch West India Company and deter- 
mined with others, to engage in colonization and thereby to avail himself 
of the peculiar privileges and munificent provisions extended under the 
charter. He selected in 1630, through Wouter Van Twiller, his nephew 
and agent, a princely tract of land at Fort Orange consisting of forty-eight 
miles broad and twenty-four miles long on both sides of the Hudson. 
This domain was granted to Killian Van Rensselaer by patent from the 
States General of Holland after he had purchased from the Indians their 
native right to the soil, and a colony was at once planted here of which 
he was the head or patroon. The privileges of the patroon on his manor 
were similar to those of a baron of old England, and he was endowed with 
baronial honors." The patroonships of New Netherland may justly be 
regarded as nothing less than an odious form of feudal aristocracy trans- 
ferred to American soil. " Desirable locations for manorial grants were 
purchased of the Indians ' for a few parcels of goods.' De Keer Killian 
gestorveii (died) at Amsterdam in the year 1645. His descendants in 
America cultivated the soil and became extensive farmers, but were very 



8 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

plain people, as may be inferred from the cantion uttered by Sir Peter 
Warren in a letter to his nephew (afterwards Sir William Johnson), ' do 
not make fun of the ]^atroon's horses.' In 1664, Charles II, of En_<^- 
land, disregarding the Dutch claim on New Netherland and finding them 
powerless to the aggressions of the English and his final usurpation of 
the territory, made a grant to his brother, the Duke of York and Albany, 
which included all the mainland of New England. Governor Stuyvesant 
was exceedingly loth to surrender without an attempt at defense, but the 
favorable terms offered to the inhabitants disposed them to an immediate 
capitulation and the province surrendered Aug. 27th, 1G64, upon the 
most liberal terms to the vanquished. New Amsterdam was now called, 
in honor of the Duke, New York; and Fort Orange, Albany. The arti- 
cles of surrender were framed in a very generous spirit. It provided that 
inheritances should remain as under the Dutch law, and all records should 
be carefully preserved. Very little disturbance of the existing order of 
things took place in the Dutch colonies. The colonists carried on their 
trade as before, but with greater freedom; they went to and fro between 
Holland aud the provinces as they had been accustomed to." Then too 
at home a ferry had been established in 1642, between Albany and het 
groen hosch or the pine woods (now Greenbush). 

In August, ISfcS, Col. Thomas Dongan arrived in New York, as the 
successor of Major I^dmund Andros, governor of all the territories here. 
Among our family papers is a very ancient patent to Abraham Staats, 
from Gov. Thomas Dongan, dated ''4th Day of November, Anno Dom. 
1685, and io the first year of his Majesties Ileign (James II). Signed : 
Thomas Dongan." It is, however, too long to copy, but is one year j^rior 
to the incorporation of the city of Albany, the original document of which 
bears date July 22d, 1686. " Governor Dongan purchased from the Van 
Eensselaers a concession of their feudal rights over the colony of Beaver- 
wyck and sixteen miles into the country, because it was contrary to the 
spirit of English institutions to have subjects possessing such boundless 
rights as the patroon of Kensselaerwyck had, and then incorporated Albany. 
The first mayor was Peter Schuyler, the clerk Robert Livingston, and the 
recorder Isaac Swiuton. The village of Beaverwyck was comprised 
within very narrow limits. All the houses at this time nestled closely 
under the guns of the fort, for protection from the ever prowling Indians. 
From Fort Frederick, which stood about half way up the present State 
street it extended in the form of an equilateral triangle, of which the 
fort was the apex, down to the margin of the river, along which the 
base line of the triangle was drawn. A heavy board fence strengthened 
with palisades, inclosed the village, and mounted on the only church 
which it boasted were three pieces of artillery. This edifice stood at 
the foot of State street and was the second house of worship that had 
been erected. On the arrival of the first pastor sent out from Holland, 
Dominie Johannes Megapolensis in the year 1641, the first building for 
public worship was constructed near the old fort situated in Church street." 
The good Dominie writes : " The first year I came here there were so 
many turkeys and deer that they came to the house and hog-pens to feed, 
and were taken by the Indians with so little trouble that a deer sold to the 
Dutch was equal in value to a loaf of bread, or a knife, or even a tobacco 
pipe. The trade of the town was almost wholly with the Indians, 
though agriculture was also pursued to some extent. The whole country 
was a perfect paradise for hunters. The creeks and rivers abounded in 



ml 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 9 

fish; pike and sturgeon were abundant in the Hudson, and the woods 
were alive with deer and other game. The Alhauiaus appear to have 
been always vigilant in maintaining a guard over the city, and no Indians 
were allowed to remain in it at night, with the exception of such sachems 
as might be present on public business. Tlie several gates of the village 
were defended by block houses, and the walls were holed for musketry. 
At night a watch was kept, consisting of lour citizens, who patroled the 
streets around, and provided with a rattle, whereby to summon assistance 
in case of urgent need. This curious instrument gave the patrol the name 
of rattlewatch. Certain fycrlujoks and ladders were provided in each 
ward for use in case of fire. The inhabitants drew their water supply 
from wells, and during its infant weakness the city enjoyed peace, and im- 
munity from actual attack by the savages ; but any tricks practiced by the 
traders upon the Indians were speedily played back with fearful ven- 
geance." 

Though the Indians had ceded a tract of their country to the settlers 
of Fort Orange, they evinced so much jealousy at the improvements 
which were daily making in the forests, that the enterprising cultivators 
of the soil thought it prudent to erect fortifications in the vicinity of 
their charinijs as a place of refuge in times of need. The cellar of one 
of these, is still visible under an old apple tree a few rods north of the 
family road to Cherry-Hill, in the meadow west of the Bethlehem turn- 
pike, one mile south of the venerable elm tree at the corner of State and 
Pearl streets. (Alas for those ancient landmarks ! the Bethlehem tuni- 
jyike, and most desirable old apple tree, with the notable cellar, in 1S75 
are amongthe things that were. Railroads and city lots have superseded 
the beacon lights of other days.) In this cellar the neighboring farmers 
were wont to assemble with their families during the French war, and 
from it they would issue in armed bodies to secure their crops, or to 
visit the city. Notwithstanding this caution they could not on every 
occasion guard against the lurking, wily savage. The little brook mean- 
ders through the meadow in question and is the scene of a tragedy which 
took place at the period mentioned even within half gunshot of the fort. 
Three worthy citizens on the way to the stadt kerk on the Sabbath 
were pounced upon by a party of savages while crossing the rustic bridge 
over the brook, murdered and scalped before the garrison perceived the 
transaction, and the murderers gained the woods at hand in safety. 
Several occurrences of a similar nature took place about the same period 
near the castellated building on the Greenbush banks. The stadt kerk 
stood near the fort, in what is now called Church street. It was the first 
house of worship in Albany, and was built on the arrival of Rev. Dr. 
Megapolensis. It was a plain wooden building thirty-four feet long, by 
nineteen wide, and was used for thirteen years. 

" The medium of commerce was the well known wampum, or seawant, 
as it was sometimes called. These shell beads, if black, were reckoned by 
the Dutch at three to the stiver ; if the interior white, at six. The 
petticoats of the Indian women, made of deer skin, were highly ornamentd 
with these various kind of shells, gay-colored, and wrought into curious 
and artistic designs. These dresses were worth eighty dollars in the 
currency of the present day. Sewant was used for Indian money, hence 
its value as trimming. The Indians for a long period knew no other cur- 
rency, and it was in common use among all the British and Dutch settle- 
ments. The beads were strung on thread and made into belts. The latter 
were exchanged on all occasions of making treaties, and played an import- 

2 



10 Legacy of IIistoiiical Gleanings. 

ant part in the economy of the Indian nations. With the wampum the 
Dutch bought the beaver skins, deer hides, and other peltries of the red 
hunters ; and sold them blankets, duffels, arms and ammunition, kettles, 
axes, etc. The extensive traffic in liquors was a constant source of 
trouble to the local authorities, and regulations for its sale were constantly- 
made and apparently as persistently evaded. The barter with the In- 
dians who came to the city to sell their peltries was carried on in certain 
houses set apart for the purpose, and all citizens were forbidden, under 
severe penalties, to entice the Indians into their houses to make secret 
bargains with them. Traders who went into the Indian country to buy, 
could only do so after obtaining a license. These regulations were un- 
doubtedly necessary. The city was an exposed frontier town, liable to at- 
tack from Canada, and constantly subject to surprise by the neighboring 
Indians, if they chose to assume a hostile attitude. In its familiar, social 
aspects, Albany continued in all respects a Dutch town till late into 
the last century. Even a few years prior to the revolution, the large 
majority of its inhabitants spoke only the Dutch language. The court 
records were kept in the same tongue for many years after the English 
took possession " 

Jeremias, son of De Heer Killian Van Rensselaer, was the proprietor 
of Rensselaerwyck ; he died in 1674 leaving two daughters and two sons ; 
Kilh'a?!, horn August 24, 1663, and Hendrick born at Greenbush, October 
23, 1667. The oldest son, Killian, being the lineal descendant of Jeremias 
and consequently Lord of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck, was married 
October 15, 1701, to Maria Van Cortlandt; from this branch General 
Stephen Van Rensselaer descended. " Killian conveyed to his younger 
brother Hendrick, on the first day of June, 1704, the Claverack or Lower 
Manor, together with 1500 acres from the upper manor, including Green- 
bush, running back one mile, together with an island in the Hudsop river." 

The New York Church Record says : " Married May, 1689, Hendrick 
Van Rensselaer — young man of Rensselaerwyck to Catrina V<an Brugh — 
young woman." Her baptism was also found, " daughter of Johannes 
Pieterse Van Brugh and Katrina Roeloffsen ;" the godmother was Judith 
Bayard. Catharine Roeloffsen was a daughter of the celebrated Anneke 
Jans and Roloff Jansen Van Maesterlandt. She married Johannes Van 
Brugh and their daughter Catrina vTas the wife of Hendrick Van Rensse- 
laer, The second son of Hendrick was Col. KiUiaen who getrout met 
(married) Arriaantie Schuyler, lie- had four zbons and three doegters. 
Major Gen. Henry K. gehoren (horn) den 25 July, 1744; getrout met 
Alida Bratt, September 19, 1764. Philip born 1747; married Maria 
Sanders Feb. 15, 1768. Nicholas born 1754, married Elsie Van Buren. 
Killian K. born 1763, married Margaretta Sanders. Catharine married 
William H. Ludlow. Elsie married Abraham Lansing. Maria married 
Leonard Gansevoort. Col Kiliaen Van Rensselaer was chairman of the 
general Committee of Safety. 

Power of Attorney, to Abrm. A. Lansing Dee. 1784 hy P. V. R., K. V. i?., 
Ific?is V. R. & Henry K. Van Rensselaer respecting the estate of their Father, 
Col. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer. 

Know all Men by these Presents that We : Henry K. Van Reas- 
selaer, Phillip V"an Rensselaer, Nicholas Van Rensselaer, Killian K. 
Van Rensselaer and Leonard Gansevoort Juur. do for divers good Causes 
us thereunto moving hereby nominate, constitute and appoint Abraham 
A. Lansing of the City of Albany, Merchant, our true and lawful Attor- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 11 

ney for us — and in our Name and Stead to take Charge of all the Busi- 
ness relation to the Estate of Col. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer deceased to 
bring Suits in our Names as Executors to the said Estate, to call in all 
J)ebts due to the said Estate and to pay all such Debts as are due to any 
Person or Persons who have just Claims against the said Pjstate all which 
Acts and Things to be done relative to the said Business we do hereby 
ratify and confirm. 

In Witness whereof we have here unto set our Hands & Seals this 
twenty-seventh Day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand 
seven hundred & Eighty-four. Henry K. V. Rensselaer, 

P. Van Rensselaer, 
NicH°s. V. Rensselaer, 
K. K. Van Rensselaer. 
Leonard Gansevoort, Jr. 
Sealed & delivered In the Presence of, ] 
Ilciiry Van Rensselaer, 1784. ) 

A melancholy thrill is the result of drawing from the files of dusty 
papers, as found in its appropriate nook on the shelves, this document 
showing the intellectual powers of those who have been resting peacefully, 
for generations, in the quiet grave. Yet once, in this now ancient domi- 
cile they yearly counted the milestones passed on their road to rest 

My maternal grandmother, Maria Sanders, daughter of Robert Sanders 
and wife of Philip Van Rensselaer, together with Margaretta Sanders, 
daughter of John Sanders, and wife of Kilian K. Van Rensselaer, were 
descendants of Rev. Lawrence Sanders who suffered martyrdom at Coven- 
try, England, 1556, during the reign of Bloody Mary. He was confined 
in the same prison with Archbishop Craumer. " A pardon was offered 
him if he would recant; but he rejected it with disdain, and embraced 
the stake saying: ' Welcome, cross of Christ! welcome everlasting life!' 
One of his descendants writes : ' I always feel a glow of devotional dignity, 
when I read this last dying offering of unwavering faith, from one who is 
to both of us a common ancestor, for none sufi'ured more heroically than 
Sanders ' Cranmer, having less courage at first, signed a paper subscrib- 
ing to the doctrine of the papal supremacy and the real presence. 
Queen Mary, however, with great perfidiousness determined his re- 
cantation should avail him nothing; but when required to acknowledge 
his errors in church before the people, he suprised the audience by 
declaring his deep regret for signing that pa;)er. When led to execution, 
as the 'flames encircled his body, he stretched out his right hand in the 
blazing fire till it was utterly consumed saying : ' This hand has offended.' 
When it dropped off he discovered a great serenity of countenance ; he 
died with perfect composure: thus, the two friends were soon again 
togetlier where there was no more sorrow or pain. The widow and two 
sons of Rev. Lawrence Sanders, immediately after the martyrdom, in 
great distress, escaped to Rotterdam in Holland, the nearest protestant 
point of refuge to the English coast. Those bereaved and terror stricken 
refugees, there found a genial and safe home, for little Holland, with her 
brave churches and free people, backed up by ships, dykes, sand-bars and 
swamps, was the fearless defender and defiant rel'uge of the protestant 
world." And from the moment a religious victim planted his foot in 
Rotterdam, or any part of Holland, he became the guest and protege of 
this unique and highsouled people. It was in this haven of rest the 
wanderers were kindly received, eutertaiued, and ultimately settled. 



12 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

After residing in' Holland about ninety years, a descendant named 
Elsie Sanders with her two children came to New York, one moved south 
and the other son married into the family of Captain Alexander Glen of 
Schenectady. " In 1765, by the purchase of the interest of both John 
Glen of Albany, and John Glen jr., of Schenectady, for £4000, Johannes 
Sanders became sole owner of the Glen estate in the present town of 
Glenville." Whenever the original patentees of the surrounding soil, 
branched out into the wilderness from Fort Orange to cultivate their 
estates, a fortification was invariably erected, sufficiently convenient to their 
dwellings for refuge, and strong enough to protect them from the dreaded 
visits of their savage foe. The first establishment of this kind " over-the- 
pines," flourished so rapidly, that it was soon dignified with the name of 
Dorp (literally, the " city at the end of the pine woods "). On each side 
of its beautiful river — the Mohawk — numberless other ones soon like- 
wise rose, thougli on a smaller scale, and became the frequent resort of 
those friendly Indians who wished to dispose of peltry, to procure neces- 
saries, to conclude treaties, or, perhaps, to celebrate their pagan orgies. 
" These Mohawk Indians, were the Spartans of North America, the head 
nation of the Iroquois confederacy, the chivalrous knights-errant of the 
western world. The chase was mere pastime; war and its surroundings 
was their element. The redress of real or imaginary wrongs to them- 
selves or others, was pleasure to these high strung knights; and when duty 
called, from the three castles on the silvery Mohawk, their warriors issued 
forth. They went, zealously bent upon errands of mercy, generosity, 
plunder, murder, no matter what, so long as glory awaited them, and the 
terror of their name ensured a safe passage and hospitable entertainment 
from the Mohawk valley to their barbarian enemies, the Chippewas and 
other nations from the north, or from the Mohawk valley to the lands of 
the defiant and unprincipled Cherokees and Seminoles of the south. 
Alexander the Great was never more venturesome, in his desperate 
inarches into unknown lands, than these wily sons of the forest. Even 
since Scotia was settled, these knightly warriors visited North Carolina 
on an errand of mercy, punished the Cherokees by an overwhelming defeat, 
rescued the Tuscarora Indians, who had been nearly extirpated by them — 
and strange magnanimity — returned with all the survivors to their own 
valley, and adopted them as the sixth tribe in the great Iroquois confed- 
eracy ; nor is that a tithe of their powers, for three weeks the Mohawks 
held Montreal in full possession, control and plunder. Such were the 
Mohawks of Scotia's early days, and always devoted friends to the Dutch ; 
but, they were barbarous after all, and the whole white population were 
too sparse, weak and timid, to interfere with the chivalric customs of these 
noble knights of the tomahawk, blunderbuss, bow and arrow. There is 
a hillock not far from the present Scotia house, where, after their return 
from warlike or plundering expeditions, they were wont to sacrifice their 
victims ; even so late as the time of Colonel Jacob Glen, a Mohegan 
Indian was burned on the spot. This surely was revolting, but the 
monarchs of the valley, owners of the soil, willed it so, and nothing was 
left to civilization, but to mitigate or ameliorate. And this the Christian 
pioneers accomplished, when possible, and many acts of kindness, which, 
according to the accounts of the French themselves, were rendered by the 
Glens of Scotia to parties captured by the 3Iohawks." 

At the time of the destruction of Schenectady by the French and In- 
dians, on February 8, 1690, the Glen family, then residing at Scotia, in 
Glenville, were all preserved because of previous kindness to French 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 13 

captives. About five years before the burning of the city, towards sun- 
down of a beautiful summer's afternoon (when the original large stone 
house at Scotia was still standing), a large party of Mohawk Indians just 
returned from one of their marauding expeditions near Montreal, encamped 
on the Scotia flats, just before Mr Glen's residence. In that day of abo- 
riginal power they claimed clear right to do so as the original sovereigns 
of the soil. The party was in a high state of elation and triumph, 
having captured a Uoman Catholic Jesuit priest, against whom they enter- 
tained extreme antipathy. The reason of this was; the Mohawks were 
protestants after their own fashion, because the Dutch were; and this 
priest with others had pro.selyted among them, and caused some as a 
catholic party to remove into (Janada ; eighty of whom from the north, 
under their Great Agnier, chief of the Iroquois, returned in 1690 with the 
French to destroy Schenectady. Wishing to be absent for a few days, 
the Indians brought their captive to Capt. Gleu, requesting he might be 
safely locked in his cellar during their absence; as on their return it was 
intended to have a jubilee, in torturing and other savage cruelties, before 
he was put to death by a grand roasting for their pious^ sacrifice. The 
philanthropic Capt. Glen ' did not see it in that lif/hf,' but (determined to 
effect his rescue if it could be done without exciting the enmity of his 
formidable visitors) with inimitable composure said the Mohawks were his 
friends, and he felt pleasure at all proper times to oblige them. Capt. Glen 
wasaware of the confidence the Indians placed in him, alsoof their credulity 
and superstition, he therefore raised this clear sighted^ loell intended, and 
formidable objection : " In this case I cannot take the responsibility, the 
prisoner is a priest, and priests are icizzards, different from a mere man, and 
could go through any key hole. Suppose the priest was gone in the morning, 
what then V He further remarked " that they could not hold him, the 
Great Spirit would assist him, he was sure to escape, and then they would 
blame him. No I can take no risk." But one thing he proposed with 
wise solemnity/ (giving the Indians the key) if they would lock the prisoner 
in the cellar, keeping the key themselves, and not hold him responsible, 
they might do so. This being satisfactorily arranged, the wretched clergy- 
man, their destined victim, was locked in the cellar, and the Indians left 
in quest of further plunder, having the key with them. Mr. Glen had 
also suggested at a proper time, in a quiet way and to the proper ears, 
that early in the morning before day light, he should send his team to 
Albany with peas, to bring back salt, so as to excite no suspicions about 
movements contemplated. The noble Mohawks, as was customary after a 
campaign, got their rum from Schenectady, then feasted, drank, danced, 
shouted and sang, until the loee small hours in the morning, when 
exhausted nature and even their dogs settled into stupid repose ; while 
the imprisjoned one was suffering a degree of mental agony easily ima- 
gined. This lull, Capt. Glen, his wife and iaithful slaves having 
watched, the prison door was opened with a duplicate key, and the captive 
priest placed on a wagon in a hogshead with the lower end out, and the 
bung hole to breathe through and with a good team. The wagon with two 
negro men was soon passing close by the Indian encampment containing, 
as was supposed peas for the Albany market. When safely arrived in 
the city, on delivery of a letter from Capt. Glen to fri'ends, he was taken 
in a sloop to New York, and from thence sailed to Quebec. On his arrival 
he reported himself to the governor general of Canada, telling of his 
capture and the extreme kindness of Capt. Alexander Glen. 

The morning came and the Mohawks having an important mission on 



14 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

hand, rose earlier than usual and came for their victim to immolate pre- 
vious to their departure. They found the cellar closed, but the priest Jiown. 
The shouts were awful and the agonies of disappointed justice aimplt/ din- 
holi'cal; but when the captain appeared, he only said to his friends, " / 
told ^ou so, I told j/ou so. Priests are wtzzards ; and they reluctantly 
responded that Condac (his Indian name) was right. Publicity, after 
such a joke on warriors, was impolitic, nor was it ever known that any of 
the Mohawks of that generation discovered the deception ; but this kind 
act bore abundant and blessed fruit to the Glen family. Subsequently, 
during King William's war, or the seven years' war. Count Fronteuac, 
governor of Canada sent out several parties against the English colonies. 
One expedition, consisting of Frenchmen and Indian allies, was dispatched 
for Schenectady with express directions not to injure or molest Captain Glen 
of Scotia, or any of his relations, in consideration of his humane conduct, 
and to spare all his property. The people of Schenectady, though they 
had been informed of the designs of the enemy, were in the greatest se- 
curity ; judging it impracticable for any men to march several hundred 
miles, in the depth of winter, through the deep snow, bearing their pro- 
visions on their backs. After two and twenty days' march, the enemy 
arrived near Schenectady, and were reduced to such straits, that they 
had thoughts of surrendering themselves prisoners of war. But their 
scouts, who were a day or two in the village entirely unsuspected, re- 
turned with such encouraging accounts of the absolute security of the 
people, that the enemy determined on the attack. They entered on 
Saturday night, February 8th, 1690, about eleven o'clock, at the gates, 
which were found unshut ; and that every house might be invested at the 
same time, divided into small parties of six or seven men. The inhabit- 
ants were in a profound sleep, and unalarmed till their doors were broken 
open. Never were people in a more wretched consternation. Before 
they were risen from their beds, the enemy entered their houses, and 
began the perpetration of the most inhuman barbarities, with the most 
dreadful slaughter of the citizens. " No tongue," says Colonel Schuyler, 
" can express the cruelties that were committed. The whole village was 
instantly in a blaze. Women with child ripped open, and their infants 
cast into the flames, or dashed against the posts of the doors. Sixty-three 
persons were massacred at the midnight hour ; the Dutch church and 
sixty-three houses were burnt to ashes, the whole place destroyed with the 
exception of five houses left standing, and no more. Twenty-seven men 
aud boys capable of walking were carried prisoners to Canada. A few 
persons fled naked towards Albany, through a deep snow which fell that 
uight in a terrible storm ; and twenty-five of these fugitives, lost their 
limbs in the flight, through the severity of the frost." 

'' Symon Jacobse Schermerhorn rode to Albany by way of Niskayune to 
carry the sad intelligence of the massacre, although shot through the thigh 
and his horse wounded. iJis son Johannes together with his three negroes 
were killed on that fatal uight. The news of this dreadful tragedy 
reached Albany about break of day, and universal dread seized the 
inhabitants of the city. A party of horse was immediately dispatched 
to Schenectady, but the enemy, in the mcautinie, pillaged the town of 
Schenectady and then went off with the plunder and about forty of their 
best horses. The little garrison at Scotia witnessed the conflagration and 
took every precaution to make good their defence against the attack they 
anticipated on themselves. Before leaving the village, a French oflicer 
summoned Captain Gleu to a council, upou the shore of the river, with the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 15 

tender of personal safety. He at length adventured down, and had the 
great satisfaction of having fifty captured friends and relatives delivered 
to him, stating the instructions received before leaving Canada, and the 
enemy departed making good the promise that no injury should be done 
him. All these destitute ones were housed and fed by that generous man 
during the remainder of that exceedingly severe winter. He had gained 
much by good will. James W. Beekman, Esq., of New York city, whose 
mother, Catherine Sanders, was also a descendant of Kev. Lawrence San- 
ders, has a large and valuable memorial painting at a cost of $1600, re- 
presenting Capt. Alexander Glen receiving the company of relatives from 
the Indians." 

The scene is illustrated with much vividness and power, and reflects 
high credit on the ehivalric character of Captain Glen. When visiting 
the old Scotia Mansion, I have often felt the cold chills creep over me, 
as I saw the deep indentation from a hatchet which struck in the baluster 
of the stairs, as it was thrown by one Indian, who had a quarrel with 
another, as he fled up the stairs for protection ; it came very near brain- 
ing Mrs. Sanders, who at the moment, was coming down. It might have 
proved a sad circumstance, but for providential interference. It occurred 
thus: " Shortly after the commencement of our Eevolutionary war, and 
soon after the marriage of Judge John Sanders in 1777, he and his young 
wife lived at Scotia, while his father's family resided at their city mansion. 
At this time the Mohawks, siding with Sir John Johnson and other loy- 
alists, had removed to Canada, where a small demoralized body of them 
still resided at St. Regis, etc., they are the blots on the escutcheon of their 
old heraldry, and the mere victims of debasement, profligacy and rum. 
The Oneidas, siding with the settlers of the Mohawk valley, were much 
among the farmers, and often located in one of the two kitchens of the 
old Scotia house. It was on such an occasion, that two Oneida braves 
quarreling, one of them so wicked, that he was called stout Nick, chased 
the other with a tomahawk up a flight of stairs. The deadly instrument 
fortunately missed both Mrs. Sanders and the Indian, but showed the 
Oneida's fidelity of intention by the deep gash in the baluster. This 
aflfair drew much attention at the time, but the lady would not allow 
the savage to be punished, and this incident illustrates that the early 
pioneers of this beautiful and romantic valley sometimes had rather 
strange associates." 

Walter Wilie, in his Ballad, " In which is set forth the horrid cruel- 
ties practised by the French and Indians on the night of the 8th of last 
February, the which I did compose last night in tlie space of one hour ; 
and I am now writing, the morning of Fryday, June 12, 1690," gives 
this interesting relic of antiquity : 

"The news came on the Sabbath morn, "Our soldiers fell upon their rear. 

Just att the break of day, And killed twenty five ; 

And with a companie of horse Our younjr men were so much enrag'd 

I galloped away. They took scarce one alive. 

" But soon we found the French were gone "And here I end the long ballad, 
With all their great bootye ; The which you just have redde ; 

And then their trail we did pursue, I wish that it may stay on earth 
As was our true dutye. Long^fter 1 am dead." 

We truly " rejoice that we are Americans, and feel proud that we are 
the descendants of Dutchmen," for with gratitude and great equanimity 
we can trace far back our Dutch ancestry, engaged in ehivalric achieve- 
ments and wonderful acts of bravery ia defending their country and homes, 



16 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

with the liberty to worship God. We perceive that the shadows have all 
passed away, and the luuiinous'track tliey have lelt behind them, has lost 
none of its brilliancy. Filial affection incites me to record, as a just me- 
morial of their innate heroism, virtue and intellijijence, thataniidst all the 
various trying vicissitudes of " soul stiring times," they have undoubtedly 
deserved the higliest plaudits of honor and respect. 

In this chronicle of past days, the brave deeds and calm fortitude dis- 
played by our " honored dead," in their heroic achievements and trying 
exigencies of almost daily occurrence, you cannot but notice that their 
services were of a marked character. Also in what a very remarkable 
manner God smiled upon, and prospered our army and fleet; emancipating 
from thralldom those who were willing to encounter the troubles incident 
to that fearful struggle, thus proving the American people would " never 
consent to a semblance of monarchical government but only to be governed 
by just law." A generation and more has passed away since those thrilling 
events midst scenes of peril during the revolutionary war, and war with 
England ; and thousands who could boast of a venerable aggregate of 
years, and were cognizant of the very important services rendered by our 
" loved ones," have also become tenants of the silent tomb. " It is time 
that the reminiscences of the pioneers were gathered together, before the 
last of them shall have passed away, for one by one the landmarks are 
falling and the records of memory are fast being obliterated, leaving little 
enough to be gleaned at the present time. Much that transpired in the 
American revolution in the great struggle with England for American 
nadonali/i/ when the halter and not the laurel was the promised meed of 
patriotic daring, are already lost and forgotten in the quiet graves of their 
authors. Time is leaving sad and mournful testimonies of the havoc 
which death is making in the old generation. Much valuable information 
relating to the ' time-yellowed documents' and early chronicles of old 
Albany and its ancient families could only be obtained from ' those honored 
relics of the past,' and with their decease will inevitably perish every 
memorial, tradition, reminiscence, and important historic fact connected 
in a tender veneration with the colonial chronicles of the country and the 
ancestral records of families." Therefore " let us garner up our notices of 
past ages, and preserve them in the archives of the country : we shall 
please and in.struct ourselves by so doing, and make posterity lastingly 
indebted to us for the deed." These details, however, even when " penned 
under the most favorable auspices," are not always satisfactory. " What 
pleases one will not always please another, and that which some readers 
would be most desirous to retain would po.ssibly be the first rejected by 
others; portions maybe too prolix to suit fastidious tastes." Bat "Be giisti- 
hus non est dt sputa mlum," so we will decidedly give the precedency to a few 
anti(|uated family letters, a relic of the "genuine Knickerbockers," they 
will serve to reunite the thread of generations, which has been deeply 
buried in the rubbish of years. I prefer to transcribe the literal speci- 
mens out of a host of correspondence — so intensely interesting as to be 
diflacult to make a selection — without corrections though frequently abbre- 
viated. Since that time orthography has undergone great revisions and 
superfluous letters have been discarded. Dividing sentences by points or 
pauses was but little understood, while capital letters were constantly in- 
troduced to make the meaning more effective, yet in a couple of centuries, 
our present lexicons may seem very antiquated, and our orthography 
quite as obsolete. 

The venerable patriarch on our maternal side, Robert Sanders, was 



Legacy of IIistoiiical Gleanings. 17 

born in Schenectady July 15th, 1705. He was married January 10, 1747, 
to Klizubeth Schuyler daughter of Col. Peteh ScriUYLKK, the first mayor 
of Albany. Colonel Peter Schuyler was also the grandfather of Gen. 
Philip Schuyler. He was called Quidcr by the Indians, instead oi' Peter, 
which they could not pronounce; " bis influence over them was so great, 
whatever he recommended or disapproved, had the force of law." In 
times of unusual danger, or cases in which both English and the Five na- 
tions were interested, Peter Schuyler, who was a man of sound judgment 
and great moderation, conducted councils with fhe Indians at Albany. 
" Lieut. Robert Sanders, a member of the Albany Convention, the highest 
official body in the province, was commander of Indian forces ; his sagacity 
and true knowledge of Indian character, had called him to this office. Ro- 
bert Sanders was one of those highly trusted messengers sent with all pos- 
sible speed to Onondaga, that especial care should be taken to state in the 
Indians' General Council at Onondaga ' that Albany is the prefixed house 
to treat and speak with all sorts of people, and those who strive to make 
peace or cession with the French, must be looked upon as persons who 
design to make a breach in the silver covenant chain which has so many 
years been kept inviolable with the government.' Arnout Cornelise ac- 
companied Lieut. Sanders." Mr. Sanders w^as a true philanthropist; no 
man had broader sympathies, or could have been more devoted to the in- 
terests of his distracted country. His energy, prudence and judicious ad- 
justment of abstruse points, together with his marvelous activity, was seen 
in the labors of his every day life. He loved the soil that gave him birth, 
and we reverence him for his efforts to advance the interests of the land. 

" December, 1669, Robert Sanders paid 9 gilders, 16 stivers [about four 
dollars] for the use of the great pall at the burial of his mother, Maria 
Wendell. In April, 1682, Robert Sanders's wife was paid 36 gilders for 
9 cans Canary wine for sacramental use in the old church of Dominie 
G. Schaats. The acting deacon in 1683 for the year was Peter Schuyler. 
In 1693 Hendrick Van Rensselaer officiated and carried around the kerk 
sackie or collection bag." September 30, 1715, Grandmama's Journal 
says: " The first child was baptised in the new church, E. V. Augen ; 
the widow of Jonas Oothout, at the Flats, and died and was buried fryday, 
the 28th feb'y 1806. The last Service the bell of the old church did was 
for her funeral in the Old Church. She was 90 years, 5 months in 
Sept. 1805." A funeral appeared more like a festival, than the solemn se- 
pulture of the dead ; it was the custom to provide refreshments at funerals, 
a practice which continued in vogue for one hundred years, and even as late 
as 1825. Koekjes (small, sweet cakes), were carried round at such times in 
large baskets. Wine was carried out in pails, freely drank, and many would 
go home from a funeral drunk. The reason for it was given that, its inhabit- 
ants were sparsedly settled over a large territory, and many had to go a great 
distance to attend funerals. • Smoking, too, was an attendant on the prevail- 
ing habit as the following order from Col. Dl. Claus will show : 

Sir: Monday, 27th 3Iay, 1770. 

I have sent the bearer for four dozen of Pipes and a few pounds of 
Tobacco, for the burial of Mr. Raworth's child wh' please to charge me. 

To Maj'r Jelles Fonda. D. Claus. 

' " Schoerie, March 29, 1738. Then Received of John Schuyler the sum of 
3 



18 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

It is notorious that men did not always write tlieir own names correctly 
ill these early times and they knew nothing in reference to philology. 

An Order given 128 years since to retur?i the money advanced by Robert Sanders. 
Exchange for £91. 3.4 sterling. Boston 17 day Dec., 1747. 

At Thirty days Sight (or as soon as Money shall be raised By the Par- 
liament to pay the Officers & Soldiers raised for the '• Late Intended 
Expedition against Canada.") Be Pleased to pay this my Fourth Bill 
(first, Second & Third of the same Tenor and Date not Paid) Unto Messrs. 
Storke & Champion, or order the sum of Ninety-one Pounds, Three 
Shillings, & four pence. Subject to the usual Stoppage or Deduction 
made at the pay office. Value Received of Robert Sanders, it Being 
my full pay as an Ensign of foot in Col. Joseph Dwights Regiment for the 
Expedition afores'' as certificate on the other side may more fully appear 

To The Right Hon^''^ the Stephen King. 

Paymaster General of his Majesties Forces. 

Colony of New England. 
Pursuant to His Majesty's Commands, signified to us dated the 30th 
July, 1747, to defray the expenses of the Troops raised for the Late In- 
tended Expedition ayainst Canada^ and settling the Pay due to them. 
We do hereby Certify the Right Honorable the Paymaster General of 
His Majesty's Forces, That Stephen King Geutlem" was an Ensign of 
Foot in Colonel Joseph Dwight's Regiment, raised within the province 
of Miissachusets Bay for the said Expedition ; and, that there is due 
to him for his Pay ninety-one pounds, three shillings & four pence Sterff 
for which we have given him this Certificate, till Money shall be raised 
by Parliament for paying of the Officers and Soldiers levied for the said 
Expedition, and defraying all other Expenses thereof: Which Certificate 
is to Entitle him to the full Sum above Specified. Subject to the Usual 
Stoppages or Deductions made. 

Given under Our Hands this 17th day of November, 1747. 
(Wen) Shirley. Chas. Knowles. 

In April 1748 the war was ended by the treaty of peace signed at Aix- 
la-Chapelle " by which restitution was made, on both sides, of all places 
taken during the hostilities, and the colony enjoyed a period of general 
tranquillity. The inhabitants vigorously pursued the arts of peace, and 
by industry, economy and enterprise, repaired, in a great measure, the 
losses sustained in the preceding war. But no sooner was peace con- 
cluded, than the English parliament resumed the plan of taxing the colo- 
nies ; and to justify their attempts, said, that the money to be raised was 
that the colonies might erect fortifications, raise troops, etc.. with power 
to draw on the British treasury to defray the expense of the same, the whole 
%dlimat(lij to be reimbursed by a tax from the mother country on the colonies. 
This plan was objected to by the sagacious Franklin, who said the Ame- 
ricans would never submit to a tax that would render them servile. In 
1750, the entries at New York were two hundred and thirty-two, and the 
clearances two hundred and eighty-six. Above six thousand tons of pro- 
visions, chiefly flour, were exported, besides large quantities of grain, but 
unfortunately the flour for the present seemed to rank among the worth- 
less treasures owing to stringent restraints." 

Twenty Shilings for the five pralinjj (gallons) of Rum at tlie Bearing (burying) of 
Maria Bratt. Ilccd by me, John Lawyer." 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 19 

Ilenry C. Boyart to Bobert Sanders. 

gjj. Kingston, Jamaica, 2J October, 1753. 

Your Thirty-two Barrels Flour wliich you were pleas'd to address uie 
with, I rcceiv'd pr Capt. Thomas Hill, which I'm Sorry to acquaint you arc 
come to a Deplorable Markett have now about three Hundred Barrels Flour 
of my tirst Cargo on hand, cSi see uo Prospect of Markett rising so that I 
fear will be oblig'd to stay here the Winter without being able to En- 
courage my Friends to Ship me a Cask of Goods however if Times shoul'd 
take a Turn shall make bold to ask your further Favours. This being the 
Needful beg leave to assure you that none will be more ready to Serve 
you than Sir Your Obedt. Humble Servt, 

Henry C. Bogart. 

Fine Flour 17j>. Gd to 20s. Common 12s. to 12s. 6(/. Bread 1 Is. to 12s. 
Pork 75s. Beef cJOs. Hams. 6d. to (i^id. Sugar 28s. to 32s. Qd. Bum 3s. lid. 
to 3s. o(^. 

To Mr. Bobert Sanders, Esq. In Albany. 

Peace was of short duration. The French possessed Canada and 
made encroachments upon the English po.ssessions and mutual injuries 
succeeded. They took pains to secure the friendship and assistance of 
the natives and by their measures excited a jealousy in the English nation, 
which soon broke forth in open war. The next year several expeditions 
were undertaken in America against the French but all were not success- 
ful. In 1755, General Braddock marched against Fort Du Qucsne, but 
in penetrating through the wilderness, he fell into an ambuscade, suffered 
a total defeat and he was killed. A part of his troops were saved by 
flight under the conduct of Col. George Washington. This ill success, 
and other equally disastrous enterprises, left the English settlements in 
America exposed to the depredations of both the French and Indians. 
Fort Edward was built this year and 6000 troops stationed there j it was 
a military post of considerable importance and was at tirst called Fort 
Lyman in honor of General Lyman who superintended its erection. On 
September 8th, the celebrated battle of Lake George was fought between 
the provincial troops under Major Gen. Johnson, aided by a body of In- 
dians under Hendrick, the 31ohawk chieftain, and a body of French Cana- 
dians and Indians. Gen. Johnson proposed to divide his forces into three 
parties. Hendrick took three sticks, and putting them together, said to 
him : " Put these together, and you can't break them. Take them one by 
one, and you will break them easily." The hint succeeded and Hendrick's 
sticks saved the party, but the Indian warrior, Hendrick, was slain. On 
June 9, 1756, war was declared between England and France, it was 
called the Seven Years War ; the colonies furnished supplies of men and 
money to carry on the war, but the rii/hi to tax was not allowed. 

We select the following record of an early order from the military ac- 
counts, together with extracts from letters to my maternal great grand 
sire, Bobert Sanbers, being 110 years old; they contain interesting 
items of this early French and Indian war. 

Bec^ this 6th July, 1756, from Robert Sanders Twenty Inch White 
pine Boards for the use of The Massachusetts forces. I say Bee' p' Me. 

Dan' Hill. 



20 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Robert tfi Richard Ray to Robert Sanders. 

Pear Sir. ^^^ ^'^''^ J^°y- ^5, 1757. 

Your always aj^rcable favour of the 14 lastant pr : Mr. Tenbroeck we 
Duly Reed as also one hundred pounds in Cash which you sent down 
pr : him for which we have given him a Receipt and have credited you 
therefore; we have not been able yet to find a bill Exch : of £80- or £40- 
Sterg : or siiould have purchased it to send to Mr. Bonbonous as you de- 
sired: we have now in the harbour Capt. Garrisons' Snow and a packet 
who will both sail for London in about three weeks : in which time We 
shall endeavour to get such a bill : but if it should fail : shall then send 
one of £5U- Ster'g as we Can alwa^'s have them of that Sum : unless you 
should in the mean-time order the Contrary that fifty pound would be 
more than you would Chuse: but we think ten pound more Could not be 
amiss, the three pipes of wine formerly mentioned to you we have Bought 
at £23 : 10: pr : pipe and we Realy think them as good as them sent 
you last fall, observe what you Say in Respect to your Pork : and that 
you would not have Bought it had you known of the prohibition laid on 
provis : from home which we well believe : and are Sorry you medled 
with it: we gave you Notice of the prohibition as soon as we knew it : 
but as it is now so it Can't be helped : and as you now give us order to 
barter sd : pork for Rum &c : you may depend on our best endeavour 
therewith : the same as though you were here yourself to do it : unless 
you should order it to Antigua as we Recommended you in our last pr : 
the post J at present here is little or no business done, no provisions bought 
or sold : that Cannot at present Inform you of any price, observe what 
you Say in Regard to Mr. Spencer : Depend when any thing Can be done 
in that Aifair shall take Care not to neglect it : are Very Sorry to hear 
your Father [Barent Sanders] and my Elsie's Father Continues poorly 
[Richard Ray married Elsie Sanders] hope the Lord will support him in 
his Sickness and give him an Easy and happy change : the letters Inclos'd 
for Mr. Franks etc , shall be duly forwarded. As your Brother John and 
you have a great many goods with us in Store : please to let us know by 
who you would have them sent in the Spring. We are now to Inform 
you that a few days ago we have unexpectedly Ingaged in Common with 
Seven Merchants to purchase a Vessel for a Certain Voyage and have 
agreed to put on board £500 : sterg : Cargo each owner ; the Vessel is 
already bought : this Resolution we Could not have so Suddenly under- 
taken hud it not been for a dependence on you for great part of the money : 
and this dependence we fixed on you from yours of the 7th Sepf : which 
Accompanied your Chest now in our house : in which you Say was a large 
Sum of Money and desired us to put some out to good hands at 6 per '^t ; 
as such we shall now want from you Eight hundred pounds Currency say 
£800 : — : — So we desire you will send down the key of S'' Chest by 
the Return of the post : and we will joyntly give and send you our obli- 
gation for the above Sum : and will Repay you the money any time on 
three months Notice. You may Depend your Money is quite Safe in our 
hands : as we are determined to Insure our whole Interest as Such large 
Sums are frequently let out here at 5 pc^ : pr : Annum : we leave that to 
you to say whether it must be 5 or 6 pf : hope you will not Disappoint 
us in sending the key by the post : as we have made In tire dependance 
on you for the money, if you should be any ways Doubtful we Can give 
you further Security. 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 21 

As to News we Can Inform you that the Ship pretty Betsey, Capt. 
Edwards from Loudon to this place loaded with goods for the merchants 
is taken by the french : lucky you nor we had any goods aboard. We 
have within few days past Arriv^ : here 3 large transport Ships from 
Ireland with ab' : 300 men each : one Store Ship loaded Intirely with 
powder and the Sutherland man of Warr of 50 Guns who with great 
Difficulty got in the harbour through the Ice after being several times 
aground and in danger of being lost : 5 or 6 more transports: 2 More 
Men of Warr and some Store Ships belonging to the Same fleet daily ex- 
pected : the Soldiers that are Arrival : are quartered on the Inhabitants : 
and are all hearty well looking Men : and it is S^ : another fleet was to 
Sail a few weeks after those with 5 or G thous' : land forces and a Number 
of men of Warr : it appears from this as if the English had determined 
to Strike a blow : but from their usual Slothfulness it is to be feared they 
wont do much : every thing seems to be Conducted here with great Se- 
cresy : Lord Loudon is gone to Boston : it is Currently Reported here 
that these transport Ships are to lay here till Spring and then transport 
the Soldiers elswere : w iiat all this will turn out to : time well tell : in my 
last I wrote you I was Indisposed : but thank God we are all in good 
health , we Conclude and are with the greatest Ilegard to Self and family. 
S' : Your Affecte • Kinsmen ^^-^^ , ^ n^^^^d, R^y. 

To Robert Sanders Esqi" : Merchant in Albany. 

Lord Loudon was the commander in chief of all the British forces in 
North American in 1757, he was also Governor of Virginia. He was a man 
of no energy of character and totally deficient in the requisites for a 
military leader. He was recalled and Lord Amherst appointed in his place." 
During this year August 9, 1757, the capture of Fort William Henry and 
the fearful massacre by the Indians created a great sensation in all the north- 
ern states. " The French commander, Marquis de Montcalm, utterly dis- 
claimed all connivance in the bloody work, but it left a deep stain upon 
his character." 

liobert Sanders to Ricliard Wihird. 

Dear Sir : Albany, June 6, 1758. 

I am most Ashamed to trouble you so often, But it seems I cannot 
Annually avoid it, while our forces Come this way, so that I am again ob- 
liged to Trouble you to convey you Colo : John Hart Esqs Bill of Ex- 
change for £117 : 6:9 Sterling on George Jeffreys Esqr money by me Ad- 
vanced him to Enable his Regiment to March Pursuant to y"" Generals 
Orders to him on the 4th Instant w'' he was obliged to do & did, & his 
Sloop not yet heard of tlio' this Evening Arrived. I must therefore De- 
sire you to get Sd. George Jeftrey's Esqr. Bill of Ex'ge : payable to me 
or my Order in London for the s'd Inclosed Bill & Please to send them 
to me pr : the post that is Now Established ^ Between here & Boston & 
you will tidd to the many favors Rec'd. 

Our Army started yesterday morning from Lake George 1600 Strong — 
your forces were not there, I believe then, yet I believe scarce yet this 
day. 

'Tliis post was a rider on horseback. In 1703 a bold scheme was undertaken 
to run a line of stages between Albany and the Conncicticut river valley at North- 
ampton. Before this the mountain was only crossed on foot or on horseback. — 
Annals of Albany. 



22 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

My Wife Joins me in love to Mad'm Wibird, be pleased to accept the 
same yourself from your affectionate Kinsman & most Obedt. 

Hble. Servant, 
The Hon'ble Ricli'd Wibird. Robert Sanders. 

Richard Wibird was " one of the Commissioners from New Hampshire, 
appointed to meet in the grand council or convention, to be held in 
Albany June 19, 1754. It was composed of committees from the several 
colonial assemblies for a renewal of treaties with the Six Nations." The 
forces that left Lake George were for the expedition against Carillon 
(Ticonderoga) and Crown Point ; they met the enemy but the engagement 
resulted in the total defeat of General Abercrombie, before Ticonderoga 
on July 8, 1758, and the death of Lord Howe. '• When the preparations 
were making for the assault, the troops were marched from Albany in 
detachments past the Flats. The road was in front of the house and 
followed the margin of the river. Each detachment quartered for a night 
on the common or in the offices. The Flats was a fertile and beautiful 
plain on the banks of the river, the residence of Colonel Schuyler's widow. 
Madam, or as she was called. Aunt Schuyler, was distinguished by her 
dignity and many virtues, and her hospitality during many years to the 
officers of the British armies sent to contend with the French on the 
northern frontier. She was the friend and benefactress of the army. 
Lord Howe slept at thiff celebrated mansion when on his way to Ticon- 
deroga. Only a few days after Lord Howe's departure, in the afternoon, 
a man was seen coming on horseback from the north, galloping violently, 
without his hat. The man rode express and galloped on, crying out that 
Lord Howe was killed. It was too true; two thousand men were killed, 
wounded or taken on this disastrous day. General Abercrombie saw the 
fruitless waste of blood that was every hour increasing and after the troops 
had been standing four hours under a constant discharge of cannon and 
musketry, he ordered a retreat. On the next day, those most dangerously 
wounded were sent forward in boats and reached the Flats before evening. 
Aunt Schuyler had her barn instantly fitted up into a temporary hospital, 
and a room in her house allotted for the surgeon who attended the 
patients. She tore up her sheets and table-linen for bandages; and she 
together with her nieces were constantly employed in attending and 
cheering the wounded, while all her domestics were busied in preparing 
food and every thing necessary for those unhappy sufferers. One of the 
officers swore in a vehement manner, that he was sure there would be a 
place reserved for Madam in Heaven, even though no other woman 
should be there." 

Robert Sanders to Sir William Johnson. 

Honoured Sir : Albany July 27th, 1758. 

I hope this will find you with all yours in Perfect health & yourself 
some what at your Ease after a Tedious Journey. I Embrace this opp'v 
to send you here in your Acco^ Curt y^ith me, whereby you will find I 
chargti you for the freight of your goods Brought up & down by Capi 
Jacob Van Benthuysen in the years of 1754 : 1755 & 1756 which fell to 
my Share when we Settled & Broke off Slooping In Conjunction, the 
Acco* of the particulars thereof I am not able to send you Now, as he 
has The Sloop Book with him to Collect some small Debts in at New York, 
But will send them you as soon as he comes up, which wont be Long I 
believe. By the Ballancc of the Inclosed Acco* is due to me from you 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 23 

£130 : 4 : 10] for w i' sum I Debit your Acco' on New, w'' please order 
to be Exaiuin'd & if free from Errors please to order it to be iNoted in 
Conformity with one in y Book, my Espouse Joins me in Kind Couipli- 
ment to you and all yours, believe me, to be Sincerely Hon'''c Sir, 
Yr Keal friend & am Kespectfully 

S'' Yi' most Hum. Serv^ 



To Sir Wm Johnson Bar^ 

Sir William Johnson had just returned to his home at Fort Johnson 
from an important mission to a great Indian council in Pennsylvania. 
He was greatly respected by the Indians and had much influence over 
them; having studied their manners and learned their language he carried 
on a large traffic with them, supplying them with goods, and receiving in 
return beaver and other skins. Not long before, in May, he attended a 
grand meeting of the Six Nations at Onondaga in which " speaking with 
the belt of wampum" their grievances were made known. 

Robert Sanders to Thomas Uuhhard. 
gir: Albany, SepM8, 1758. 

I have x&c^ your Esteemed favour of the 4th Current & agreeable to 
y Kequest therein I have given John Erwin Fifty Shillings this Cur- 
rency on y Acco' for w<^'''you are Debited or we Judged it a Sufficient 
sum to Carry him home. I Gave him no more, But told him if he fell 
Short to Draw on me as far as 10 Dollars, he seemed very weak & it may 
be he wont Be able to hold it out till home, he has his Dismission & I 
believe him to be Unfitt for Service this Campaign. I wrote Col" Wen- 
dell last post the News ab' the Reduction of fcn't frontenac &, Desired him 
to acquaint the Cora"^« of war with it which I suppose he did, I have no 
News at present to Communicate But what you will Receive Nest Satur- 
day from New York in print, which is great if true otherwise I would 
write it you. But in the Print you Shall have it at Large & we believe 
it to be true, it is Expected here that there will be another Attempt made 
this fall on Carillon & Crown Point, you are quite wellcome to lay your 
Commands on me, if you think me Capable to do you or your Friends any 
Service here Assure you that I am with much Esteem 

Ilon'j-e Sir Yr most Obed' hum : Servant 

To Thoms Hubbard Esqr. Robert Sanders. 

" It was not until the campaign in 1758, that affiiirs assumed a more 
l\ivorable aspect in America. But upon William Pitt being at the 
head of the British ministry a fresh impulse was felt by all. Fort Fron- 
tenac — now Kingston — was erected by Count Frontenac, governor of 
Canada, in 1673, and for eighty years it was one of the strongest military 
posts in America. In 1758, Colonel Bradstreet with provincials of New 
York and New England captured it. The commander of the fort was ex- 
changed for Col. Peter Schuyler of New Jersey, then a prisoner in 
Canada." 



2-1 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Robert Sanders to Moses Emerson. 
Pear Sir: Albany, Sept. 29, 1758. 

* * * " Col. John Broadstreot with 3000 men hath Taken Frontenac 
and brought Considerable Booty there you must doubtless have heard 
the particulars by the papers therefore Desist must only add that we Ex- 
pect they will make another attack on fort Carillon [Ticonderoga] this 
fall wish them better Success as last Spring I fear that they will meet 
the Strength of Canada there at this Season for I Cant think they Can be 
under any apprehension of our fleet Coming up to Cubec [Quebec,] this fall, 
My Espouse & Children Join me in Love to youi-self, Mrs. Emerson & 
young Mr. Emerson who I hope may grow up & be a better man thaa 
Even his father was before him. I remain with Respect Sir, 

Y"" Ileal friend & obed' Servant 
Mr. Moses Emerson. Robert Sanders. 

Robert Sanders to Moses Franks. 

Sir : Albany, Octob^ 11, 1758. 

* * * " We have been this past Summer pretty successful here we 
have Taken Louisburgh, and fort Frontenac, & would herein give you 
some particulars Thereof, but believe you will have them fully ere this 
Reaches your hands, our forces I believe will soon go into Winter 
Quarters, there was a talk a few days ago that they Were going to make 
a Second Attempt on Ticonderoga, But heresay they wont go there this 
fall, from Ohio wejiear Little or Nothing here, only that they had a Small 
Skirmish with the Enemy there wherein we lost & missing somewhat 
Better than one hundred as is said, the loss the Enemy then Sustained 
We have not yet learnt. * * * gj^ Yr Obed' Servt, 

Mr. Moses Franks. Robert Sanders. 

The French general, Montcalm, occupied Ticonderoga and Crown Point 
till the next year. 



CHAPTER n. 
Colonial History. 

Robert Sanders to Sir William Johnson. 

Honoured Sir : Albany Octo^ 23rd 1758. 

I rec^i of y 21 Instant yesterday by Mr. Jacobus Clement, the apologie 
you therein make about not answering my Letter of the 27th July Last 
I believe to be true But am astonished to see you therein say that I 
Doubtless must have heard that the Assembly only Allowed Ten Shillings 
a day for the time I was in Canada & that you thought it a very small 
allowance as I believe Every body with you & me must, & if I thought 



Legacy of IIistohioal Gleanings. 25 

proper Now to settle the Acco' so, you would be Ready to pay the IJuUance 
luHiiediately & with pleasure, I own it would be hard for you to pay me 
out of your own pocket, But I thought you Long ere Now would Reimburse 
what you had agreed to pay me by the Governm' & how Could I well 
think otherwise — Since it is above Nine Years that I went at your 
llecjuest & our then Mutual Contract to Canada, and have Since often 
Settled Acco''* with you & so now & then li;id the pleasure of being in your 
Company, k, you Never mentioned one Single Word to me About it & 
you I believe still will Remember that I would By no means go on the 
Generosity of the Assembly — you then told me you would not have me 
or advise me to go on their marcy — and that the Assembly had Allowed 
a Certain sum of money, & that you had or was soon to Receive it from 
Capt Petrus Douw for that purpose k that you would agree with me & 
pay me accordingly, as I tliink you Flonourably did for on the 13 Sepf 
1750, I not only Settled that Acco' with you Sworn to by me I think 
before John Baptist Van Eps, Esq But also your particular Acco' with 
me, & you did that day give me your note of hand of your own accord, 
on Demand for the Ballance due to me from you & on the 17 Aug' 1752 
we Settled all Acco'* Between us again & you of your own accord gave 
me then your note of hand on Demand for the then Ballance due to me 
& in 1754 May 28th I Delivered you again my Acco' Against you & you 
sometime after Came to my house & paid me of within a Trifell I may 
say & kept mute all that time What you now wrote me & on the 27 July 
Last I Came to send you your Acco' Current as usual to mention Now an 
Afiiiir which has been Settled so Long ago Between us, I think Strange 
_as I knew I had nothing to do with the Assembly — I Never Intended 
or did apply to them for my pay & perhaps if I had & Acquainted them 
Rightly of my Journey & Transactions I believe I am apt to think they 
would have Allowed me more honorably as you write they did — But if 
I had applied to them I must own & Confess that I should not have used 
you well & that I have hitherto Endeavoured to do & hope so to Continue. 
I wish you with all yours health & am with Compliments & much Esteem 
Honi''« Sir, y most hum : & most obed^ friend & SerV. 
To The Honbie Sir W-" Johnson Bart. Robert Sanders. 

Money in those days was a scarce commodity, so that even services 
performed on hazardous business were not always well requited if at alL 
The valuable tract of land, one hundred thousand acres, owned by Sir 
William Johnson, was obtained from King Hendrick, the great chief of 
the Mohawk nation in the following manner: " Being at the baronet's 
house (Fort Johnson) the sachem observed anew coat, richly embroidered 
with gold lace, which the former intended for his own person ; and oa 
entering his presence after a night's rest, he said to him : ' Brother, me 
dreamed last night.' 'Indeed,' responded the royal agent, ' and what 
did my red brother dream ?' ' Me dream,' was the chief's reply, ' that 
this coat be mine !' ' Then,' said the sagacious Irishman, ' it is yours, to 
which you are welcome.' Soon after this interview. Sir William returned 
his guest's visit, and on meeting him in the morning said to him, ' Brother, 
I dreamed last night!' ' What did my pale-faced brother dream?' inter- 
rogated the sachem. ' I dreamed,' said his guest, ' that this tract of land 
was all my own I ' The chief replied, ' Brother, the land is yours, but yoa 
must not dream again ! ' It was a check-mate." 



26 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Robert Sanders to Col. Jaroh Wendell. 

Dear Sir, Albany Novr 3, 1758. 

I Rec^ y^^ of the 10 Ultimo, with the luclosed Letter To Mr. Humphry 
Chadbourn which I forwarded to him & have since Delivered him Ajiree- 
able to yr Desire Ten Dollars & have taken his liill therefor on his Bro- 
ther Mr. Benj. Chadbourn which you have Here Inclosed Endorsed by me 
to Debit y'^ Acco' therefor Your Regem' are all come down & major part 
on their way home I Can't but acquaint you that they have Cut a great 
Deal of wood for the sevice on y"' Laud at the Jser Berg, & as Every 
body suffers from Cutting wood here on their Land for the service I 
Daren't speak a word, must therefore Desire to let me Know your Senti- 
ments thereabout. Here is a Town Talk that General Abercrombie is 
Superseded by General Amherst & we have News that the King of Prus- 
sia gained a Victory over the Russians, the Express came Last night & 
says the Packet is arrived at New York. I hear Nothing as yet ab^ Col. 
Peter Schuvler & our other Prisoners thatwere to Come in Lieu of Them 
that we took at fort Frontenac when I do I shall Enquire & write Mr John 
Mico Wendell ab' the Gentlemen He gave me In Charge of, wd please to 
acquaint him as I have no time now to write him. I Never Expected our 
P*risoners Before the Armies of Both sides went Into Winter quarters as 
I know French Policy too well, altho our people here are very Uneasy & 
Expect they wont come. But I think we shall now soon hear from them. 
I hope this will find you with all y" as this Leaves me with all mine & 
friends here entirely well. 

My Espouse Joins me in Duty to y"' self. Mad"' Wendell all y'' Child- 
ren & friends with you. Believe me to be Sincerely Dear S'' Your Affec- 
tionate Kinsman. 

The Hon^Jie Jacob Wendell. Robert Sanders. 

Elihu Lyman's Bill. 

1758 The Colony of Connecticut p"" Elihu Lyman ) Dr. 

For y"" forces Under Maj : Genei-al Abercrombie j 

June 25. To 1 p-" Blankets £12 : : 

Do. 28. To 3 p^ Do @ £ 12 p' : & 1 Single Blanket 16s ... 36 : 16 : 



Errors Excepted, £48 : 16 : 

Albany Nov'': 6th, 1758. Robert Sanders. 

Gentlemen, 

Please to pay the Above Acco^ of forty Eight pounds Sixteen Shil- 
lings New York Currency Unto General Lyman or his order & his Re- 
ceipt Shall be to you a good k Sufiicient Discharge & you will very much 
oblige, Gent Y*^ most hum : & most 

Obedt Servant, Robert Sanders. 
Sir: 

I Beg the favour of you to Obtain & receipt the Above Acco^ of £48: 
16 : for me & on Receipt thereof please to Deduct thereout for your 
Trouble what is Reasonable as also the Charges you should Be at & Re- 
mit to me here the Remainder, & if you should have No oppty for this 
place yoaa may then send it to New York to Mess" Robert k Richard Ray 
Merchis there, Near the Old Dutch Church & if I Can be of Service here 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 27 

be Assured that on Receipt of y' Commands I will pjndeavour to Execute 
them to tlie Utmost of my ability Interim I am with profound Esteem 
Houi'''^ Sir. yr most hum : & obed' Servant 

To General P. Lyman. Robert Sani)p:rs. 

" General Lyman was a brave and energetic man, yet most unjustly he 
received none of the honors which were deservedly his due. At the 
battle of Crown Point in 1755, the whole engagement was directed by 
him for five consecutive hours with great skill." 

Robert Sanders to Qencral Lyman. 
Pear Sir Albany November 7th 1758. 

I Just now heard from Mr. Sheldon that you was on the wing going 
off with y : Regim' : this day. I am sorry I had Not the pleasure to see 
you at my house as I Expected to have Done by what you told me when 
I had the pleasure to see you at Col. Rensselaer's so have now only to 
Convey you here in y^ : Government Accott : of Blankets fitched at my 
house by Mr Elihu Lyman since Deceased, & my order for you to Receive 
the money, I trust you will use y : Endeavour to Receive it, I wish you 
would add to the obligations Laid on me by this if you would Let me 
Know by a Line from you how you Succeed herein. I wish you a good 
Journey home & that you may find yours all in Health is the present 
NeedfuU from Hon"!-^ : Sir y^ most hum : & obd' SerV 

Robert Sanders. 

To Gen. Phineas Lyman at Green Bush. 

This is the General Lyman who was engaged in the celebrated battle of 
Lake George on September 8, 1755. " In the vicinity of the Blooily Pond, 
Hendrick, the noted Mohawk chieftain, with a body of French Canadians 
and Indians assisted the provincial troops under Major-general, afterwards 
Sir William Johnson. Gen. Johnson, at the commencement of the battle, 
received a flesh wound in his thigh and the ball lodged in it. General 
Lyman then took command, and continued it during the action, but John- 
son, not willing to divide the honors of the event, did not even mention 
in his report, the name of General Lyman, the real leader in the victory. 
It was immediately after the battle that, with evident jealousy of Lyman, 
he changed the name of Fort Lyman to that of Fort Edward. The Flng- 
lish government, elated by the victory, created Gen. Johnson a baronet 
and gave him §20,000." 

Robert Sanders to Col. Wendell. 
Dear Sir. Albany April 30, 1759. 

My last to you was p'' Capt. Grange wherein I Desired you to send me 
some pots & Kittles w^'' I Doubt not but was Delivered to you. Since 
arrived several Gentlemen from your place & not a line from you, hope 
it is not for want of health. Having now a favorable opp'y w'' I 
Embrace <fe make bold to Trouble you again with the herein closed Note 
of Capt. Abra. Keen for £18 : 10: lOi this Currency k my order it 
Acco' of one Capt. French of the 48 Regim' if he is in Boston as I hear 
say he is I Desire you to order both sums of them to be rec ' <fe Credit 
my Acco' with you for the same. If (japt. French Should be gone off 
then please to forward him this Inclosed JiCtter after you have Read & 



28 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

sealed it. I hear Capt Keen is Going this year Eastward so am obliged 
to send you his Note, he is a good honest man & will pay you Immediately 
for me. Abraham Jacobs Lansing Came home fieu days since I had no 
letter by him from you he tells me that you & he were Discoursing about 
Stone llaby & that you askt him £600 for it, if you are Inclineable to 
sell it for what people tells me it if worth, since it was derived from both 
my Grandfathers Kubert Sanders & John Wendell, they were the first 
owners thereof I will buy it of you for myself and will pay you Immediately 
for it but no more then the Real Value & send you the Consideration 
money on Receipt of y Conveyance to me. 

There is one Perez Tillson, a sutler last year to Cul. Doty's Reg' 
■who owes me by bond I believe Between £70 & £80 Inform me wbat 
you know or think about him. Tho' Cul Doty Contracted most part of the 
Debt. I am Glad to hoar you are Better. 1 heartly wish you with all y^ 
health, y^ most Aft"- Kinsman Robert Sanders. 

Col. Jacob Wendell. 

Eohert Sanders to Thomas Huhhard. 
Sir, Albany June 3 1759. 

Mr Isaac Gridley's letter of the 28 Ultimo on your Behalf with 
these Inclosed receipts for the Sundry Stores you had Shipt on board of 
Capt. Freeman for Albany I have this day rec' & post as soon as Capt. 
Freeman Arrives I shall receive them in Store & Deliver them to Messrs 
Woodbridge & Savage as you shall Direct me in yours of the Next post 
w^'' I hope will be before Capt Freeman arrives as Mr. Woodbridge is still 
at home. General Amhurst went up to the army this morning the few 
Remaining forces yet in Town are to set out to morrow. The Army to the 
Westward Destined did not delay, but set out from Schenectady yesterday. 
I pray God to Grant them success. You Doubtless must have seen by the 
news papers that General Amhurst hath forbid the Carrying up of any 
Spirituous Liquors to the Army yet this day believe his prohibition will 
be of no long Duration for I Cant think the Army can be without any a 
long time. I am with the Greatest Esteem, Hon'J Sir Y"" most obt Hum : 

^^'"^' • Robert Sanders. 

Hon. Thomes Hubbard. 

"The skill, bravery, and activity of General Amherst, exhibited in the 
capture of Louisburg (on the island of Cape Breton, at the mouth of the 
St. Lawrence, then the strongest fortification in America, and the rallying 
point of French power on this continent), in 1758, gained him a vote of 
thanks from parliament and commended him to Pitt, who in 1759 ap- 
pointed him to the chief command in America. He collected his army 
of eleven thousand men at Fort Edward and its vicinity and on July 26 
appeared before Ticonderoga. He met with no impediment but soon had 
possession of the fort as the French had fled, after they had dismantled 
the fort, down the lake to Canada." 

Robert Sanders to the New Hampsldre Commissioners. 

Gentlemen, Albany Aug. 3, 1759. 

Col. Zechcus Lovewell Deliv' to me on his Coming down from Ticon- 
deroga an ordr to go In obedience to Gen. Amhurst's ord' with his Regi- 
ment to Oswego. Your letter of the 16 May last, wherein you are Pleased 
to Recommend him to my favour for advice & assistance, & if he should 



Legacy of Historical Glean ings. 29 

have occasion for money his Bill on you for £100 sterl;:C should he punctu- 
ally paid, but Col. Lovewell iound it by Kxperience Impossible to j^o on 
from Albany to Ticonderoga tt from there again to Oswego with his Regim' 
with the £100 Sterlr, Applied to mo to assist him as several of his men 
■would or Could not go without a Little Cash, they said to Enable theui to 
march. I did advance him the sum of £811 : l-t Sterlg for w' '' I have 
sent his Bill ot) you to Rich'' Wibird Esqr. : to whom you will be pleased 
to give your Bills for said sum of £311 : 14 Sterl" payable to me or my 
order in Londou. 

I cant Enlarge on the Above with my heart full of Joy. must let you 
know that Ticonderoga is taken and in our possession July 26, without 
our liring one Cannon against it, and that yesterday 3 o'clock v. M. wc had 
an Express come in Town from Niagara who brings us the agreeahlo 
iNews that the Fortress is also in our Possession after an Ingagem' with 
3500 french and Indians near by the said Fort w^'' Came from Ohilio & 
Ottowawa to assist the fort of w'' Number our forces, under Johnson and 
Genl. Prideaux (the latter was killed) Kilt in the wood 400 & have 
taken prisoners 17 otBcers. After s'' Battle the fort Surrendered prisoners 
of war & in a fiew days wc Expect in Town from there 700 prisoners & 
oOO Scalps : &. this morning we had an Express from Ticonderoga, that 
the french had Abandoned Crown point. Carried off all they could &, 
]3urnt all that would Burn there by all w'h we can plainly see that our 
fleet is at Quebec, they left Crown point the first Instant & we took 
Niagara the 25 Ultimo. I give you all Joy with the news and Could not 
omitt Communicating it to you. I am with the Greatest Regards, 

Gen' Y'' most Hum: Servant 

To Rich'i Wibird Daniel Warner ) Robert Sanders. 

& Henry Sherburne, Esq*^ . j 

The above gentlemen were members of the Convention that assembled 
at Albany, in the old City Hall, on the 19th of June, 1754, for the purpose 
of uniting upon some scheme for the common defense. Major Henry Sher- 
burne was killed in 1777 at the Battle of Germantown. In 1776 he was 
sent by Arnold from Montreal with one hundred and forty men to re- 
enforce the garrison at Cedar Rapids. About five in the evening the 
whole of Foster's (English) Canadians and Indians burst from an ambus- 
cade and fell upon the republicans. They made a brave defense for nearly 
an hour and a half, when the Indians, in number greatly superior, formed 
a girdle around them, and at a given signal rushed upon the devoted 
band, and infuriated by the obstinate resistance of the Americans butchered 
nearly all. The fortress of Niagara was an important acquisition for the 
English as it was at the mouth of the Niagara river. On July 25, 1759, 
General Prideaux invested Niagara but was killed by the bursting of a 
mortar, before the surrender of the French. The fort was, however, cap- 
tured by Sir William Johnson, who succeeded him in command. The scige 
was continued more than a fortnight, and the beleaguered garri.son, des- 
pairing of succor, surrendered; a large quantity of ammunition and stores 
fell into their hands. The capture has been ascribed to treachery. 

Robert Sanders to Jacob Wendell. 
Dear Sir : Albany, Oct. 17, 1759. 

I have y"" Esteemed favours of the 8 & 12 Current, by the first See 
what you say About Stone Rabia [Stone Arabia] & its Bounds & that it 
was worth more money then I thought it was, therefore you Believed I 



80 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

would not buy it, and it is Some Years Since when you sold it to your 
Kinsman at Albany for £1200 York money & you Esteem it at Least 
worth now £1500 York money & it' Canady was taken as you Expected 
it soon would rise more and by my last to you & by your all ways agree- 
able to me of the 12th (We had agreeable news on the 13th p'' an Express 
from Oswego, that they had taken 3 french prisoners who say that the 
City of Quebec Surrendered on the 18 Sepf to the English. General 
Amhurst went off from Crown point last week Thursday with 4500 
forces without Coun'f the Marines.) It is Confirmed that the City of 
Quebec is through God's Blessing in our Possession, and believe & hope 
soon to hear all Canada to be, So give you Joy therewith, So that you 
Think it is worth more now than £1500 : — : — I hope you will be able to 
sell it at that price if you ever Intend to sell it. But I have as great 
Reason to believe you wont sell it by Valuing of it as you believe I 
wont buy it, I must own that I wont buy it at £1500 this money nor 
Nobody Else I believe as I have Before wrote you the reason & my 
sole Inducem" I would have Bought it & if you & yours intend to 
keep it I am Content. I am glad to see by yours that you Intend once 
more to Come & see your friends here when please God We may live to 
see Each other we shall talk further together. In mean Time if you can 
sell it for £1500 I would Advise you so to do it if you lutend to sell it, 
for I Can Assure you that I have never hitherto seen the man yet here, 
(Except Abraham Ooms sons) that would give so much for it as they 
offered you. All our friends here are well and I am very glad to hear 
that you & your good Espouse also Continue to mend Dayley, I hope you 
both may Enjoy your perfect health again. With my Espouse & own 
best regards to you both & service to all friends I conclude I am D"" S"' 
Y"" Lov2 Cousin & Obedi Serv' Robert Sanders. 

Col. Jacob Wendell. 

Robert Sanders to Thomas Hubbard. 
Dear Sir : Albany, Oct. 28, 1759. 

I have by the Courier yesterday y"" Exceeding kind favour of the 22 
& thank you for the Trouble you took to write me the Agreeable News it 
Contained. In my Turn must let you Understand hereby, that General 
Amhurst with his Army Returned to Crown Point, without doing more 
then I wrote p"^ the last Corrier; and Sir Wm. Johnson, Bart, is come 
home so that we Expect Nothing will be Done more this fall, unless the 
Articles of Capitulation made at Quebec Induces the Inhabitants of 
Canada in order to keep their estates to give the south part of Canada 
over, as we are possessed of the North part I can't but think they will 
Surrender it. 1 believe the General will keep the Provincials as Long as 
the weather will permitt them to work at the forts & then By what I can 
hear yours will go home by the way of No. 4. Mons'' Vaudreuil the gov- 
ernor general in my oppinion will take care Not to be taken for he is as 
well Governour of Mesisip6 as of Canada. The hhd Clothg Mr. Wood- 
bridge brought in store seemed wet I therefore got a Cooper this morning, 
he took it out & found it much worse than I thought it was, had it Dryed 
& put up again otherwise it soon would have been Rotten. I think your 
Government sends every year too much clothing. My Sincere Regards 
to you and all friends. With you I am with Profound Respect. 

Hon''''= Sir y"^ most Obliged Hum Servant 

Ilonbie Thomas Hubbard Esq. Robert Sanders. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 31 

" Gens. Amherst and Wolfe had been very successful this year in their 
engagements against the French, and, at the beginning of 1759, Quebec 
was the only place of considerable importance in possession of the French. 
Gen. Wolfe waB in command of the English forces sent against Quebec. 
The French General Montcalm was in command of the strongly in- 
trenched camp as head quarters and a strong garrison in the city. 
General WoH'e had his army of five thousand British troops before sun- 
rise, September 13, 1759, drawn up in battle array upon the plains of 
Abraham three bundled feet above the St. Tiawrence. The appearance of 
the English troops upon the heights was the first intimation'Montcalm 
had of the real intentions of his enemy. The English had waited four 
hours for the approach of the French, and were fully prepared for action. 
Wolfe ordered his men to load with two bullets each, and reserve their 
fire until the French should be within forty yards. These orders were 
obeyed and did terrible execution. While cheering on his men he re- 
ceived his third ball which brought him to the ground mortally wounded. 
He was taken to the rear while his troops continued to charge. Shortly 
before he expired rallying himself inquired, ' How goes the battle 't ' Col. 
Donald Campbell, one of the officers who supported him on the field of battle 
and on whose shoulder he was leaning exclaimed, ' They run, they run !' 
The dying hero asked with emotion, ' Who runs ?' ' The enemy, sir ; they 
give way everywhere.' ' Now God be praised, I die happy ! ' These were 
his last words; just at the moment of victory be died. Gen. Montcalm 
also received a mortal wound, and died the next morinng. Wolfe and 
Montcalm were both able commanders, and were idolized by their respect- 
ive troops. Five days after the battle the city of Quebec capitulated and 
passed into the hands of the English on September 18, 1759, which ter- 
minated French rule in Canada." 

Robert Sanders to Hon. Richard Wihird. 

Dear Sir, Albany Nov. 18, 1759. 

The bearer Col. Lovewell is Just on the wing going home being afraid 
for the small-pox of which the City is pretty full, leaves me only time to 
write you these few lines to Acknowledge the receipt of the Set Sterling 
bills you forwarded to our mutual friend Mr. John Mico Wendell of Bos- 
ton and he to me without a Line from your Self or the Committee, at 
which I was a little astonished and did not know what to think. On your 
Regiment Coming down they applied again to me for Cash Dollars to 
Carry them home to Defray the Officers and mens expenses by the way: 
and as they Could not get their Billeting money from Col. Bradstreet, and 
Bather then to Detain and Keep them here on Great Charge of them and 
the Government, I Suffered Col, Lovewell to prevail on me to let him 
have for the above Purpose £341 : 14 : Sterling for which you have his 
bill here Inclosed on the Committee. Must therefore Bet^ofyou once 
more to obtain for me in Lieu and Stead of the Inclosed bill from your 
Committee 2 Setts of Sterling bills. The 1 for £200 Str : the other 
£141 : 14: Str. payable to me or my order in London, as Expeditiously 
as you possibly can. I am sorry to let you know that our Aunt Schuyler's 
Mansion-house and Kitchens were lately all Consumed by fire, but Goods 
Saved. I Doubt not but you must have heard it, as I wrote to Col. Wendell 
at the time of it. My wife Joins me in Love to Madam Wibird and your- 
self. I am Dear Sir, Your Aff. Kinsman and Obt. Servt. 

To The Honble. Kichd. Wibird, Esq. Bobert Sanders. 



32 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

In tlie summer of this year as General Bradstreet was ridinjr by the 
Fhits one day, and proposinji; to call on Madam Schuyler, he saw her sitting 
in a groat chair under the little avenue of cherry-trees that led from her 
house to the road. All the way as he approached he had seen smoke, 
and at last flames, bursting out from the top of her house. He was afraid 
to alarm her suddenly ; but when he told her she heard it with the utmost 
composure; pointed out the likeliest means to check the tire; and ordered 
the neighbors to be summoned, and the most valuable goods first removed, 
without ever attempting to go over to the house herself, where she knew 
she could be of no service; but with the must admirable presence of 
mind, she sat still with a placid countenance, regulatinir and ordering every 
thing in the most judicious manner and with as much composure as if she 
had nothing to lose. When evening came, of that once happy mansion, 
not a single beam was left, and the scorched brick walls were all that re- 
mained to mark where it had stood. Madam could not be said to be left 
without a dwelling, having a house in Albany rather larger than the one 
thus destroyed. But she was fondly attached to the spot which had 
been the scene of so much felicity, and was rendered more dear to her by 
retaining within its bounds the remains of her beloved partner [Colonel 
Philip Schuyler who died in 1757]. She removed to her brother's house 
for the n^ght. The news ot what had happened spread every where, and 
the next day people came from all quarters to condole, and ask her direc- 
tions where and how she would choose to have another house built. And 
in a few days the ground was covered with bricks, timber and other 
materials, brought there by her friends in voluntary kindness. General 
Bradstreet sent some of the king's workmen to assist in building, and the 
house commenced in August was ready for her by the early winter. Aunt 
Schuyler was very fond of birds and to make them secure nests procured 
the skeleton heads of horses and cattle, in great numbers, and stuck them 
on high poles much to the delight of the feathered warblers. 

In my mother's note-book is an entry, " Aunt Schuyler at the Flats 
died on Monday December 6th, 1802. Buried Thursday 9th." The old 
road after crossing the Patroon's creek, passed down in front of the 
Mansion, to the river; over it marched all the armies for the North. 

Robert Sanders to Richard Wiblrd. 

Dear Sir : Albany Dec. 3, 1759. 

I have y"^ Esteemed fixv"" of the 3 Instant p'' y'' Carrier & note y' Con- 
tents, that you would honour the Drafts on you in favour of Mess'"*' Lee 
& Clarke & that you Apprehended there would be no need for me to send 
in a petition to y"" Court as you trusted Mr. Woodbridge would attend. 
But if you Judge it Necessary or Best to petition the Cqurt I must beg 
of you to do it in my Behalf & you will very much oblige me. Inclosed 
you have a receipt of Mr. Simon Leaking I had no time to take a Dupli- 
cate of him therefore send you his original for the p"" shoes & money 1 
have Debited the Governm*. The other things therein Mentioned are 
of your Govermn' Clothing Pickt Last Spring by Mr. Woodbridge so 
not of the best. At foot you have what I Deliv' for the use of.y"^ 
Sick, the Sugar Chocolade &c I took out of my own store, as I did not 
chuse to open y^ In store, shall replace it when you open or Recall y" in 
store as I hear no further of the Sick, I have ordered the Cask raisins 
that I opened in Store to be headed up again I suppose Ebenz Cox by 
my Advise had them Carried in wagons to Sheffield, but have as yet not 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 33 

seen his draft ou nie, I suppose it still to be among some of our farmers 
at Kiiulerhook General Amhurst with part of his Army came to towa 
the first Instant tarrved here to the 8 ' when the river was frozen over, 
he then Crossed the lliver & went afoot to New York in company with ;i 
few of his Officers, he Came down afoot also from Lake George so that 
lie is of good Example to Officers & Soldiers, we have no news, so Con- 
clude with best regards. D'" S'' Y'' most hum & Obcdi Seryt 

Hon''ie Kich" Wibird Esq. Robert Sanders. 

Robert Sanders to TJiomas Iluhbard. 

D' S': Albany, Sop^ 24: 1761. 

Yesterday I rec' your favour of the 16 Instant p'' Mr. Sam' Blodgett 
with s'' Blodgett's Receipt for nine Cases of Clotliing & two hh''« hats w^' 
you had Ship'' to me p'' Capt. Littlefield who is also arrived in this harbour 
but the goods not yet landed. I have this day wrote up to Col: Salston- 
stall & Hoar at Crown point & acquainted them of the Arrival of the 
Cloths & that I would be glad of their order about them, but if Major 
Ashley In the meantime Should come for them I shall Deliver them to 
him. I thought to have sent you by the Return of this Vessell two old 
Medicine Chests, yet in my store of y'' government & one old Bed-pan, 
the other bed-pan I Delivered last fall for the use of the Sick soldiers at 
Green Bush to Docf Mather, but the Cap' is going from here to Phila- 
delphia so says Can't take them. 

I see by yours as also by the prints that my honoured Uncle Col : 
Jacob Wendell Departed this Life sometime Since & that he was Buried 
on the 16 Instant to my great Grief, and am Astonished that Neither 
myself nor any of his Sisters or Brother-in-Laws here have one line of his 
family About him. I make no Doubt but that he is gone to a Better 
Mansion than here, & I know it be the way of all flesh, & I pray God to 
prepare us all for the Like Change. 

I have the Honour to be with profound Esteem 

D-- S'' Y"" most hum : & Obed' Servant 

Thomas Hubbard, Esqr., Boston. Robert Sanders. 

Robert Sanders to Ricliard Wibird, &e. 

Gent: Albany, 27 Oct^l761. 

My last to you was on the 3 Aug' under Cover of Mr. Jn" M. Wen- 
dell Via Boston in w^h I sent you my Acco' Current with y"" Goverm^ 
Ballc*= thereof in my favour £15 : 14 : 11 this Currency for w^'' Debit on 
new, also Col. Goff's order & Mr. Oothout made Before he was paid, as 
also Col. Goff's on you in my favour for £37 : 10 Sterling wh'^'i I Doubt 
not but met with due honour, I hope you all have Rec'' & to w'^ referr, 
have Veritably heard it was to y'' hands otherwise you would have Dupli- 
cates herin again. Col. Jn" Goffe is Come Down from Crown point & is 
going down to New York to the General for the Billetting money & ap- 
plied yesterday to me to Assist him with money to give to his Officers & 
men to pay & Bear their Expenses by the way going home & to Enable 
him to Enlist & pay Bounty. In obedience to Governour AVentworth's 
order to him to forty Eight private men & three Officers as y'' Governm'^ 
proportion to Remain in the Ser^ijce Untill the Month of July next En- 
suing w'^'' I knew was Impossible for him to do without money, so paid 

5 



34 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

him yesterday in half Johanneses^ [$4] & Doll^ : in all £345: 17: I'' 
Sterlino; for w^'i he eave me his Bill on you w^'' T here Inclose & send to 
Kichd Wibird Esq^ & Desire you to <;ive him y"^ Bill or Bills payable to 
Mess" Champion & Hayley, Merch^s in London for & on my Accot with 
them. You may if you Please add to this Last Bill, if you have not 
yet to the first of £37 : 10 Sters.' the Ballance of £15 : 14 : H due to me 
from y"" Governm^ trust Mr. Wibird will be so good as to forward two of 
s*i Bills by two Different oppt>^ to s'' Gent, in London, if any there Should 
be at Portsmouth, otherwise to send them to Mr. Jn" Mico Wendell at 
Boston or to Moss"^'' Hob' & Rich'' Bay in New York & the other pr a 
good opp'y to me here. With the greatest Regards 

I Remain Gentlemen Y"" most hum. & Obed' Serv^ 
The Honbie Bidid Wibird, Esq., Robert Sanders. 

Chairman of the Com'<=«' of War Portsmouth. 

Robert Sanders to Peter Miller. 

Sir, Albany March 1, 17G2. 

lam Sorry to let you know hereby that lam Credibly Informed, that 
you have & are still busy In Cutting & Carrying away Wood from my 
Land at Poghkecpsie altho' my Cousin forbids you Cutting & Carrying 
of it away from my lands, I Intend to be at Poghkeepsie next Spring, 
Please God I Live and will not only Sue you But every other that I can 
prove to have Cut wood from My Land Except my Tennant on Possession 
for the use of himself on my farm. Take this Precaution from me In 
good FJarnest & Leave the wood on my Land otherwise you will bring 
yourself to great Trouble and Cost. I am Sir, your Humble Servant 

To Peter Miller. Robert Sanders. 

The following was rather a spici/, gentlemanly letter from our venerated 
progenitor : 

Bobert Sanders to Dr. Godfrey Smith. 

Sir, Albany Jany 24, 1763. 

I have yesterday p"^ post from New York Recfl your Extraordinary 
Letter of 3 Ultimo postage 2s 6f^., & am surprised to hear and see you 
Run out to such a length against me for Not sending to you the Vinegar 
and Turnips which you and Col : Salstonstall Desired Last November to 
be sent to Crown Point. I did then own & Confess to Col. Salstonstall 
that I had no Interest Enough in this Country to prevail on Waggoners 
to go up to Lake George that time of the Year with their Waggons and 
horses with Turnips as the Roads then were. He then Seemed Sensible 
of it and as to Vinegar I could not get ic In the whole City. Desired 
Mr. Blodget to Enquire and search the Town for common Vinegar he was 
so good as to do it (as I was not able to as the Doctor would not suffer 
nie on acct. of my leg) but could find none under 6 Shilling P'' gal: and 
I Was advised Then to send none at that price, and at the Same Time 
Assured that Good Vinegar was Plentifully to be had at Crown Point for 
that selfsame price if not under, and you was sensible I would pay your 
Draft on me for it. 

You are pleased to say in your Letter ('perhaps you will send the De- 
sired articles In the Month of February when they will be Destroyed by 
the frost and not worth a farthing "^nd the Govern' must have your 

' A Johannes is a Portuguese gold coin of the value of eight dollars. 



Legacy of IIestohical Gleanings. 35 

Expense'). I am Glad to know your sentiments thereabout, and you 
may Depend [ will send no Turnips unless you Possitively order me by 
a line or two from you to do it this Winter. Vinegar I believe is still 
to be not had in Town unless I pay here 6s p'' gallon and I Chuse not to 
do When it is to be had at that price where I had orders to send it to. 
I all ways do for my Employers as if they were personally present. I 
wish you the Complim'^ ot the Season. 

Sir, y"^ most hum : & obt Servant 
To Doctor Godfrey Smith. Robert Sanders. 

Robert Sanders to Abraham J. Lamiiu/. 

Dear Sir. Albany Jany 15 17G3. 

I send p"" you to Boston three Province Notes which carry Interest from 

the Date Each Note of the Treasurer there (viz) one of £6 Lawfull Dated 

the 11 feby 1760 to J. Tyug, one of £6 L' In dated the 11 feby 1760 to 

J Tyng. One of £9 L' In Dated the 13 May 1760 to K. Tyler, for which 

please to take of the Treasurer Spanish mild Dollars or pistoles, & be so 

good & bring them with you here & you will oblige me. My Compliments 

to all Enquiring friends & wish you a pleasant prosperous Journey to 

there & safe home again. I am Sir, y'' most humble Servant. 

Mr. Abraham J. Lansing. Robert Sanders. 

f 

In 1763, the celebrated controversy with New Hampshire, respecting 
boundaries commenced. The disputed territory is now called Vermont. 

Robert Sanders to John M. Wendell. 
Dear Sir, Albany Aug' 15, 1763. 

I did write to you last p'' Dominie Rowman on the 26 Ultimo to which 
am Constrained to Refer among other things I did therein by way of 
Postscript Let you know that Mrs. Sanders was then Dangerously Sick of 
a feaver To my Great Grief and Sorrow Must Hereby let you know That 
it hath Pleased the Great Ruler of all things To take to himself after 9 
or 10 Days Sickness on July 30 my Dear Valuable Wife Mrs Sanders 
[Elizabeth daughter of Col. Peter Schuyler, she was born January 1, 1725] 
which Great Loss is most hetherto Insupportable to me I pray God to take 
it some wliat from me & that God will prepare and fitt us all for the Like 
Unavoidable Change. I trust you will be good Enough to communicate 
This my great Grief and Loss to our mutual friends with you & to Mr. 
Wibird & his Espouse if You have Occasion to Write to him. I cant as yet 
write much you can Well Think tho' it may Come too again Mrs Sanders 
left me Sitting with 5 children one Son&4 daughters the Eldest Daughter 
going in her 14 Year [Wife of Philip Van Ren.sselaer] & the Youngest 
Daughter going in her 18 months a Suckling yet when her mother Died. 
I Intended to have Come & see you it to have Collected my Just Debts 
in your part Next month But Now give over all thoughts of it and must 
Rely on Every man's Honesty that owes me Money. I shall now only add 
that I am with kind Salutations to all friends with you Dear Sir, Your 
Aflected Cousin. 

Mr John Mico Wendell Boston. Robert Sanders. 

It is very probable we shall be obliged to carry on a war the next Year 
against the Ottawawa Indians and some of our five Nation Indians for they 
or some of them commit daily murders on our People iu our Garrison. R. 8. 



36 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Robert Samltrs to Sir William Johnson. 

Hon'''e Sir : Albany Novemb^ : 15, 1764. 

I have Just Now Rec^ your favour of the 8 Cur' Noted you would 
take up the Bond w<^^'' you Executed Jointly & severelly with Mr. Wells 
to me on the 7 June 17G2 for £700 : — : — Two Years & 4 months Interest 
thereon due the 8 June @ i p'' C' 106 : o : 4 — Amounts in the whole to 
the 7 Instant to £806 : 3 : 4 which sum you or they Cau pay & Discharge 
when you please But as I have at present no Occasion at New York for 
it I would Chuse to Receive it here in New York Money — Jersey Money 
I find Good Deal of Trouble in to pass it here Among our farmers As you 
Doubtless will with me Daily Experience. I have Labored above Two 
years under a Malady which Rendered me Spring and Summer past In- 
capable to write much or hardly at all But It seems I mend something 
Dayly at Least I think so& thank the Great Ruler & Disposer of Heaven 
& Earth for it and am In Great hopes of Recovering my Former State of 
health again. I Cant At this time Enlarge Shall only Add that I am with 
Greatest Regard Dear Sir — 

Your hum, & most Obd' friend & well wisher 

Sir William Johnson, Bart. Robert Sanders. 



Robert Sanders to Messrs. CJiampion <£ Hayley. 

Gentlemen, Albany April 13, 1765. 

The Enclosed Memorandum I Confirm to be Copy of my Last to you 
This Serves purely to hand you the 2^ Bill thereof to Serve in Case of 
need and to Assure you I am very Respectfully, Gent, Your Most 

Hum'j'cSvt Robert Sanders. 

The following month, May 24, 1765, Robert Sanders, the veteran cham- 
pion of his country's rights, passed away from the stirring scenes of life 
at the age of 60 years, for the lamp of life ceased to burn. 

Among the family eifects is a singular Patent for Christain Stadle, 
engraven on parchment, having attached to it the great Seal, stamped on 
one side with the " Lion and the Unicorn.", 

Neio York Secretary's Office 30th July 1765 — The within Letters 
patent are recorded in Lib. patents to reduced Oificers, &c., page 12o. 

G° Banyar, D. Secr'y. 

New Yorh Auditor Generals Offce30 July 1765 — The within Letters 
patent are Doequeted in this Ofiice. G° Banyar, Dep. Aud. 

" George The Third, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, 
and Ireland; King, Defender of the faith, and so forth : To all whom 
these Presents shall come Greeting : Know Ye, That of Our especial 
Grace, certain Knowledge, and meer Motion, We, have Given, Granted, 
Ratified, and Confirmed ; and Do by these Presents, for Us, our Heirs, 
and Successors, Give, Grant, Ratify, and Confirm unto Our loving Subject 
Christain Stable being a disbanded non Connnissiou Ofiicer having 
served in North America during the late War and last belonging to our 
Fifty-fifth Regiment of Foot; All that certain Tract or parcel of Land 
situate lying and being in the County of Albany on the East-side of 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



37 



Hudsous River vvitliiu our Province of New York : l^eginninji; at. the 
Southwest Corner of a Tract of Land Surveyed for John McDonald and 
runs thence P^ast Sixty Chains and sixteen Ijinks ; Then Soutli 'J'hirty- 
five Chains ; Then West Sixty Chains and Sixteen Links and then North 
thirty-five Chains to the phice where this Tract first bej^an Contaiuiui^ 
Two hundred acres of Land and the usual Allowance for lli<!;hways." 

This curious patent is too len_<j:thy to be i'urther copied but it is closed 
by " Lm TestiiMony whereof, We have caused these Our Letters to be 
made Patent, and the Great Seal of our said Province to be here unto 
affixed. Witness our Trusty and Well beloved Cadwallauer Coluen 
Esquire our Lieutenant Governor, &c , &c., * * * "Clark." 

Philip was the second son of Col. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and 
Ariaaiitie Schuyler. In the old family Record [ find in my maternal 
grandfather's own writing these notices : 

1747 May 19th New Style was I, Philip Van Rensselaer born in 
Albany.. 

1749 October 15th N. Style was Maria Sanders born in Albany. 

1768 February 24th, Philip Van Hensi^elacr (/ctroid met Maria Sanders 
by Dominie Eilardus Westerlo at the house of her grandfather Peter 
Schuyler, at the Flatts. 

Col. Philip Van Rensselaer was appointed in July, 1776, commissary 
of military stores of the Northern Department by General Schuyler, and 




^£-^oi/ta v.ALei/o' 



Cherry Hill. 

Built by Philip Van Rensselaer, iu 1768. 



confirmed by congress. We see from his private papers, the hard times 
they had to contend with in raising money and getting supplies for the 
army. He was an upright and successful merchant and well deserved 
the high consideration in which lie was held. When on a visit to New 
Orleans, he was prostrated with yellow fever; though able eventually to 
return to his home at Cherry Hill, a beautiful site overlooking the Hudson 



38 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

river anrl coiuuiandiiig a fiiic, extended view, he never recovered perfect 
health. In this mansion, built by himself the year of his marriage, he 
died. The following notice cut from a newspaper was pasted in grandma's 
scrap book : " Died, on Saturday last (March 3, 1798), Philip Van 
Rensselaer, Esqr.,aged 61 years, at his Seat at Cherry Hill. His funeral 
rites were solemnized on Wednesday." He left a large and valuable pro- 
perty to his wife, and children, six zoons and three doegters, only seven 
of whom survived their father. The conversation of my grandparents 
was conducted principally in Dutch. Yah Mynliecr and Yah ! ya vrouw 
was often interspersed in their English familiar discourse. 

" The troojis quartered in New York and Boston, were a constant source 
of irritation and difficulty with the inhabitants. On March 2, 1770, a 
fray took place in Boston between a British soldier and a man employed 
at a rope walk. The former was supported by his comrades, the latter by 
the ropemakers, till several on both sides were involved in the conse- 
quences. This quarrel was renewed by the citizens on the evening of 
the fifth when a more dreadful scene was presented. A part of Captain 
Preston's company when under arms were pressed upon, insulted and 
pelted by the mob with snowballs covering stones. They were also dared 
to fire, which they finally did, killing three of the multitude and wounding 
five others. The town was immediately in commotion. The ringing of 
bells, the beating of drums, and the shout to arms ! by the people, soon 
brought together thousands of citizens. A body of troops sent in the 
meantime to rescue Preston's men, would doubtless have been massacred, 
had not Governor Hutchinson and some of the leading citizens, among 
whom was Samuel Adams, interfered. The result of the trial reflected 
great honor on John Adams, and Josiah Quincy, Esqrs., the council for 
the prisoners ; and also on the integrity of the jury, who ventured to give 
an upright verdict, in defiance of popular opinion. Three days after the 
massacre, the obsequies were solemnized. Every demonsti-ation of respect 
was manifested. The stores and work-shops were closed, the bells of 
Boston, Charlestown and Roxbury were tolled, and thousands followed 
the remains to their final resting place. The bodies were all deposited 
in one vault. The consequences of this tragical event sunk deep in the 
minds of the people, and were made subservient to important purposes. 
The anniversary of it was observed with great solemnity for thirteen years 
and tended greatly to widen the breach between the colony of Massachu- 
setts and the mother country." 

ridlip Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My Dear Wife, Wednesday N. York, July 31, 1771. 

* * * I now take this opportunity by Capt. John Fryer, to Acquaint 
you that we arriv'd here Safe a Sunday Morning about three O'Clock in 
a very good State of health hoping that this will find you and our Dear 
Little children and all the family in the same. 1 hope to Sitt out for 
home next Tuesday if the weather will Permitt us to Coast the Sloop after 
our Cargo is Sold. I have Sold my Peas most all att 7s pr : Bus. and 
my Wheat is all Sold but not Settl'd Cause I am to have what Capt Val- 
kenburgh of Claverack gits — he has about 600 Bus. and he stands out 
for u Dollar. But I am of opinion that he will not git more than 7s. 10(7. 
pr : Bus : — is no Demand for flour, what has Been Sold last fitch'd 21s. 
& 20s. 6c7, but 1 am in a fair way to git 21s. on Condition of Six weeks 



Legacy of IIistouical Gleanings. 



39 



Cr : Here is nothing Strange — but the Country Sufl'crs Very much, of 
all the Rain it has had of J^ate, a great a Bundaiice of Wheat is Spoilt on 
the fields, flax and Indian corn lilcewi.se. 1 was a Sunday three times att 
Church. I Dined att Mr. Rays, a Monday at Mr. Shaws, this day i am 
to dine att Mr, Jjudlows. 

No more att present -But I Remain Your Loving Husband till Death 

Departs us, and Humble Servant 

Mrs. Philip Van Reus- >^-i 




selaer, at Albany. 



These reliable entries are valuable as showins: the names of merchants 
doing business; the prices of articles of merchandise; as well as other 
facts, more or less important, not otherwise to be obtained. 

The colonists had become greatly 
exasperated with all tbeir grievances, 
the taxation system was obnoxious, 
and a " rigid observance of the non- 
importation resolves " was enforced. 
The popular voice decided that while 
the right to ^ax-teawasmaintaiued, it 
should not be landed. In New York 
hand-bills were circulated, threat- 
ening with ruin those who should 
vend tea, warning pilots, at their 
peril, not to conduct ships into that 
port laden with the article. The 
same spirit pervaded the people from 
New Hampshire to Georgia. In the 
meantime, several ships containing 
thousands of chests, arrived on the 
coast. So determined were the people 
not to allow the tea to be landed, 
that ship after ship was compelled to 
return to England. The tea ships 
designed for the supply of Boston, 
were consigned to the son, cousins 
and particular friends of Governor 
Hutchinson. OnDecember 16, 1773 
(the British Governor Hutchinson 

having refused a pass for the return of a number of vessels laden with tea 
which hadjust arrived), a person in an Indian's dress gave the war whoop in 
the gallery of the assembly rooms at Boston. At this signal, the people 
hurried to the wharves ; when a party of about seventeen persons, dressed 
as Mohawk Indians, protected by thousands of citizens on shore, boarded 
the vessels, broke open and emptied the contents of three hundred and, 
/or ti/-two chests of tea into the ocean, without tumult or personal injury. 
When the intelligence of this summary proceeding reached England, it 
was condemned by the government as enormously criminal. They me- 




Van Rensselaer Coat of Arms.^ 



^ The above Coat of Arms of our ancestors is remarkable for a cross bearing 
the motto " Niemand Zonclcr," No one without (a cross). 



40 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

uaced our province with the most exemplary venaeance because their 
government was deprived of a revenue from this quarter, and formed a 
scheme still to introduce tea under cover of the East India Company. 
The American people, however, would not be imposed upon and they 
firmly adhered to the resolutions not to import or consume tea at all. In 
consequence of this step, the parliament passed the Boston Port Bill 
to discontinue the landine; of goods at Boston. The first of June, 1774, 
was kept as a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer asking Divine direc- 
tion and aid. 

General Schuyler to PJiilij) Van Rensselaer. 

Sir; Saratoga, Nov. 18th, 1774. 

Please to bring for me from New York five Dozen Mill Saw files, and 
2 Barr* Nails 2 Barrels 20'' nails & 2 Barrels 10 ' nails. I would have you 
get them from Henry White, Esqr., If he has them and get the Bill of 
parcels that I may settle It with him or from whom you get them. 

Please to ask Philip Livingston, Esqr., for the Bell he was so good as 
to promise for the Saratoga Church. I wish you a good passage and am 
Sir Your most Obe*^ Servant 




To Capt. Ph : Van Rensselaer. 



Robert Ray to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Sir : New York, May 6th, 1775. 

My last to you was 21 Ult. to which refer. Since rec^ none from you. 
The Gentlemen concerned in Hogestrassers Bond are anxious for the £300 
which you received for them j they say they would long ago have drawn 
on you for the Money according to your Order ; they would have drawn 
on you by Mr. Seagrove but they were fearful it might be taken you to a 
Nonpluss, which they chose to avoid. Cousins Deborah & Betsey (who 
are the Bearers of this) arrived in a troublesome Time, the particulars of 
which, I shall not enter into, as you have had them long since in the 
Newspapers, as such I could not advise Cousin Betsey to stay here. I 
have had thoughts to have sent my Wife, Sister & Caty to your place for 
safety, and some of my principal Eff'ects ; but I am entirely at a Loss 
what to do; however I have taken the Liberty to send pr. Mr. Vanburen 
twelve hhds II. S. Rum, which I desire you will store for me, and if you 
can dispose of them at 2s. Id. pr. Gu. for the Cash, or 2s. 8f?. for three or 
four Months Credt. in good Hands would have you do it. Whether your 
place or ours will be the safest against our unnatural Enemies I cannot 
now well determine. We have chose a new Committee here of 100 of 
the principal Inhabitants, of which Number I have the Honor to be one ; 
we are invested with large Powers ; we have met every Day for a Week, 
sometimes twice a Day. We long to see the provincial Convention con- 
vened. We are become unanimous here to a Mao, as you will see by the 
inclosed Associasion, which is generally signed by all Ranks of People. 



Legacy op IlrsTOiiicAL Gleanings. 41 

If it should 80 happen that you think our place greater safety than your 
own, 1 have House lv(H)m and every thin^^ else ibr your Family at your 
Service. It, being 12 O'Clock at Night I am almost too much confused 
to write. We have had most of the Cannon moved from Town to Kings- 
bridge &c., and part of our Committee have been out this l^ay to pitch 
upon the Ground where to build Batteries & Intrenchments for our De- 
fence, we are in good Spirits though times look very Gloomy ; we expect 
by the 15 or 18 of this Month, all our Ports will be shut up by the Con- 
tinental Congress, all the Vessels in our Harbour are hurrying all they 
can to get away by that time ; that if you can get any Wheat down by that 
time, I believe it will fetch the present price which is 6s. 4d. pr. Bushel, 
& perhaps more; after that time I expect it will not sell at all. Inclosed 
you have Invo. for the 12 hhds of Rum. Couz. Deborah Just now 
shewed me your letter to her: I take it extremely kind your Inviting my 
Wife, Sister Sally and Caty to Come to your house in these very trouble- 
some times. I am much obliged to you. After kind Salutation from us to 
your Family and All Friends I am Sir, Your Loving Cousin 

Mr. Philip Vanranslear, Mercht., Albany. Kobert Ray. 

"When the Provincial Congress assembled May 22, 1775, measures 
for defense were taken. Four regiments were authorized to be raised ; 
fortifications at King's Bridge were ordered and the Hudson passes in the 
Highland fortified. At the beginning of the year 1775, the American 
people were very much exasperated with the aggressive measures of Great 
Britain and universally " expressed open contempt for all royal authority 
exercised by ofiicers of the crown." An efi'ort was being made to induce 
the Canadians to take up arms against the rebellious colonists. Sir John 
Johnson succeeded to the titles and estate of Sir William, his father, and 
" exerted his influence in the British cause." It was at this time an ex- 
pedition was arranged by the Americans to invade Canada, the stepping- 
stone to which was boldly set in motion by the marvelous capture of 
Ticonderoga, on May 10, 1775, by Col. Ethan Allen who demanded ifc 
" In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress.^' A 
zealous divine in his pulpit prayed : " Oh ! Lord, if our enemies will fight 
us, let them have fighting enough. If more soldiers are on their way 
hither, sink them, Lord, to the bottom of the sea." Every heart re- 
sponded " Amen, let them have fighting enough." 

Leon'^ Van Buren to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir : New York, 8th August, 1775. 

According to your Desire your petition has been Delivered into the 
Provincial Congress, they have according to your Request granted that 
Four hundred and fifty Barrels of Pork Shall be sent by Governor Trumble 
of Connecticut, their Order to the Governor is 

In Provincial Congress at N. York, August 8th, 1775. 

Ordered, that Governor Trumbale be requested and he is hereby reques- 
ted by this Congress to permit the Quantity of four hundred and fifty 
Barrels pork to be sent to N. York to the Care of Messrs. Dennis & Daw- 
son to be forwarded for the use of the Coutinentile Army in the Northera 
parts of this Colony. 

A true Copy from the Minutes. John McKesson, Secry. 

6 



42 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

I liave taken and send you A List of What is on Board as Near As I 
can recollect, you'll be good enough to ceep our Salt Separate as it lays in 
the Sloop. * * * Your p,.ien(j ^nd Humble Servant, 

Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer, Albany. Leon" V. Buren. 

Leonard Van Buren to PMlip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, ^^^ ^^^^ ^"S- ^^^^ 1775. 

After sending home our Sloop, I left New York on my Journey to 
Governor Trumbull in Chonectukitt, and in going inquired about Pork 
found it very scarse, it being allmost all bought up by their Commisserys, 
which I Inform'd the Governor, be gave me a permitt to buy pork, but 
said could give me no order on the Commissery for one Barrel pork, but 
he give me a letter to one of his ChiefF Commisserys, for him to use his 
pleasure, that Commissery told me it was not in his power to give me a 
Barrel of that which was brought, but would send an Express Immediately 
back to Gov. Trumbull, which he did, and desired me In the meantime 
to go to Danberry to one Jno. McClean to buy as much as possible and 
he would there let me know at Danberry. I waited one day for the 
Commessarys Express & Bought upwards of Two hundred Barrels pork 
& left Eleven hundred pounds in Cash Lawfull money with Jno. McClean 
for him to Buy the four hundred & fifty barrels and Pay it in full & it 
should be Piepaid by us. the pork he was to have sent by water to New 
York. I proceeded my Journey to N. York and could not Learn one 
word of our Sloop. I sitt Sail With Capt. Clutt on Intent to meet our 
Sloop or find her at Albany but coming in Haver-straw mett peter Bradt 
About sunsett who Informed me that our Sloop was then behind him about 

2 hours Sailing, I being Afraid to pass her in the Night Stept on Boord 
of peter Bradts and Arrived again In N, York the 24 Instant where now 
wait very Impatiently for our Sloop not knowing what can be the Matter 
with our Sloop. Mr. Robert Yates and Mr. Jacob Cuyler now Inform me 
that the Express sent by the aforesaid Commissery to Governor Jonathan 
Trumbull was from there sent to General Washington for his orders, and 
he has sent Express that Pork must be had Immediately the full Quantity 
you desired and sent to the North River by Land and not by Water which 
I Judge Will be some where in the high Lauds, but will be farther In- 
formed by the next post. 

On my Arrivall from haver Straw in N. York I was Informed of the 
unhappy Afiair of the Yonkers and Captain V^anderpott, the Citizens being 
on the Battery to take away the Cannon, and the Capt. of the Asia had 
had Information that Afternoon of some Bad person, placed his boat nigh 
the Shore to give him a Signall as he Afterwards had wrote himself to the 
Mayor of the City, the Boat fyred one gun, One Company of ours made 
thought they fyred on them and gave the Boat a full Volley and only 
killed one, the Captain then began to fire with Cannon, he then wounded 

3 of our men very slightly, hit in several houses. No more now for want 
of Room and time. j^^^^. ^^^ Buren. 

Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq. Albany, 

The Committee of One Hundred, guided by the popular will and per- 
ceiving a resort to arms to be inevitable, ordered Col. John Lamb, who 
was then a captain of artillery, to remove the cannons from the grand 



Legacy op Historical Gleaninos. 43 

battery and the fort, and take them to a place of security. He proceeded 
to the battery at nine o'clock on the evening of the twenty-third of August, 
accompanied by a body of citizens fully prepared for action. Captain 
Vandeput of the ^4.suf, informed of the intended movement, sent a barge 
filled -with armed men to watch the patriots. When they appeared, a 
musket ball was indiscreetly sent among them from some over-zealous per- 
sons on the barge. It was immediately answered by a volley, when the 
barge hastened to the Asia, bearing several men killed and wounded. 
That vessel opened her port-holes, and then hurled three balls ashore in 
quick succession. Lamb ordered the drums to beat to arms ; the church 
bells wei'e rung, and while all was confusion and alarm, a broadside came 
from the Asia, but no lives were lost. 

My father's uncle, Colonel Nicholas Van Rensselaer, the third son of 
Colonel Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and Ariaantie Schuyler was with General 
Montgomery at the storming of Quebec, and engaged in the disastrous 
battle before thnt city's beleaguered walls on the memorable December 
31, 1775. I well remember the benignant old gentleman when living 
below Greenbush in the old Dutch house of small bricks imported from 
Holland, with its gable and high pointed roof, facing the Hudson river; 
the heavy wooden stoop with the wide seats on either side and the 
ponderous front door " divided laterally in two parts," whose upper half 
was ornamented with the quaint, heavy old brass knocker formed like a 
dog ; and the " old shutters with their curious fastenings and hinges." 
There too was the antiquated soldier with his loved pipe for a constant 
companion, to alleviate any depression of spirits. " He blew out a whiif 
of smoke as fleecy as a ' summer cloud ' and while watching its fantastic 
movements and shapes," or speaking between the puffs of smoke as he 
knocked the ashes from his burnt out pipe, would then again fight the 
battle over for our instruction and edification. He had a conscientious 
sense of duty to posterity and delighted to tell of " the heroic lives which 
had been led and deaths which have been died in defense of liberty." 
In those days the tight breeches with silver buckles at the knee and 
braided long queue were still retained. He would relate " the stirring- 
scenes preceding and attending the battle and the subsequent gloom and 
foreboding that pervaded the country," of their sufferings and hardships ; 
the rigors of that cold, Canadian winter in 1775 ; of their stern resolve 
of " victory or death " as before daylight they came down from the Plains 
on December 31st. How silently they marched in the drifting snow, 
leaping over blocks of ice that they might charge the battery and then, 
when quite near, came the terrific shower of grape shot causing the death 
of their brave Gen. Montgomery and many others. Col. James Livings- 
ton and himself were within a few feet of that officer when he fell ; it was 
indeed a most disastrous campaign in Canada, but Col. V. R. served 
during the entire war suffering great privations. He was accompanied 
by two near relatives. Cols. John Visscher and James Van Rensselaer, 
then all holding the rank of lieutenants. Col. Nicholas V. R , was not 
only at the storming of Quebec but was subsequently engaged in the 
battles of Ticonderoga, Fort Miller, Fort Ann, and Bemis's heights, and 
such was the esteem in which he was held by Gen. Gates — being aid 
to Gen. Schuyler — he was selected to convey the intelligence, to the 
citizens at Albany, of Genei'al Rurgoyne's surrender at Saratoga on 
October 17, 1777. In 1818 when the remuius of Gen. Montgomery were 



44 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

brought to New York for interment, Cols. Nicholas Van Rensselaer and 
John Visscher were honored pall-bearers. The following letters to my 
mother's father — Philip Van Rensselaer — descriptive of the capture of 
St. Johns, Chambly and Montreal are interesting not only from recording 
these events, but they show the peculiar style of writing in those early 
days, one hundred years ago. These records of the past are dingy and 
discolored by age and the letters almost undistinguishable from the accu- 
mulated dust of years. 

James Van Rensselaer to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
ppai- Sir, Ticonderoga,' Aug. 29, 1775. 

I arrived this morning and should have gone on across the Lake, but 
the Bad Weather has prevented us. I can inform, that of our Army a large 
part is Already pushed on past Crown-point and we shall follow with the 
greatest haste. I expect to be in sight of St John's in Less then Ten 
Days from this time we shall not wait for the Troops at Albany, their De- 
lay will be too Long for us to Wait for them. I believe any things you 
will have for me will be in Vain to send. You must not expect to hear 
from me before the reduction of that place. My Compliments to All 
Friends. And I remain Dear Sir, 

Very Affectionately Yours, 

James Van Rensselaer. 
For Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq., Albany, 

James Van Rensselaer to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir ^^^^ ^^^ Noix, 14 Septr., 1775. 

You no doubt have heard of our attempt to attack Saint Johns, on 
the sixth we landed within Cannon shot of the Fort under a brisk Fire 
without the least hurt from them. We found ourselves in a Thick swampy 
woods where our advanced party Commanded by Major Hobby and Capt. 
Mead were attacked by about 100 Indians Commanded by Capt. Tice 
which lasted a Considerable time : our loss is 5 killed and eight wounded, 
3 of which are since dead. Major Hobby and Captain IMead are among 
the wounded, by certain accounts the Loss of the Enemy is six killed and 
numbers wounded. Capt. Tice is among the wounded. Since which 
General Montgomery has made a second attempt with 800 men. On their 
Landing they killed one Frenchman & Two Indians ; but the behaviour 
of our Troops on the discharge of a Few Booms of the Enemy is such that 
I should Blush to name it, they retired with the greatest Confusion. 
To day we received a Letter from Mr. James Livingston by which we 
Learn that he with a number of Canadians have had an Ingagement with 
his [erased by time and the mice.] Twelve of them, upon which it was 
this day Resolved in the Council of War to send off one Hundred men 
with about Thirty Canadians that were here to Join Livingston, when 
General Montgomery with the remainder of the Army about 1100 Strong 
is to proceed down to-morrow to Saint Johns. I hope we shall succeed 
but if I am to Judge from the behaviour of our Troops on the Two Late 
attacks, I have but Little hopes of entire success. 

Your Brother Nicliolas is well and in very bigh spirits. 

Fridai/ 11 odoch at nlgld, in haste. General Schuyler's state of Health 
is such as I believe will be attended with Great Danger, he leaves to- 



Legacy of IltSTOiiiCAL Gleanings. 45 

morrow for Ticondcroga which is a great Discouragement to us. My kind 
Couipliiuents to your Family and Inquiring Friends. Adieu Dear Sir 
and am yours &c &c. j^^,j,s y. Hbnsselaer. 

To Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer at Albany. 

To the care of Mr. Walter Livin-iston. 



General Schuyler had issued a suitable proclamation to the inhabitants 
of Canada, on entering that territory. He had also been informed that 
St. Johns was garrisoned by the whole regular British force in Canada 
with the exception of only fifty men retained in Montreal by General 
Carleton, but all this proved to be untrue. In consequence of serious ill 
health General Schuyler was obliged to relinquish the command to General 
Montgomery. After his return to Ticonderoga, he was active in forward- 
ing re-enforcements to Isle Aux Noix; and on his recovery from sickness 
devoted himself zealously to the management of the affairs in the northern 
departments. It was, indeed, fortunate for the army that Schuyler re- 
turned to Ticonderoga at that time. He found every thing connected 
with the forwarding of provisions in the greatest disorder and detained 
on the way by neglect or indolence. Mr. James Van Kensselaer was born 
1746 and died in 1829. He married 1st Catharine Van Cortlandt, 2d 
Elsie Schuyler. 



James Van Rensselaer to PJdlip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Friend • Camp before St. Johns 6 Octr. 1775. 

I have wrote you Several letters since my Leaving Albany in hopes of 
having had the pleasure of one in return from you which would have given 
me great satisfaction To hear from you and Green Bush. As you are the 
only person I expect a line from in Albany But the old saying out of 
sight out of mind may be true. However I can with pleasure inform you 
that St. Luke La Come has Desired a Conference with us in behalf of 
principal Gentlemen of Montreal, their Meeting will be To morrow at 
Laprairie. We have Dispatched Mr. McPherson and Major Brown to Treat 
with them on our part. We hope the Meeting will be a means to con- 
vince the Canadians that we act upon Just Principals to restore them to 
their Just rights and Liberties. The Garrison of St. Johns is completely 
surrounded, the Canadians are Entrenching on the East Side of the River 
opposite to the Fort, where they are to have Two Cannon to annoy the 
Enemy's Vessels Col : Bedel on the North Side. Col : Seth Warner at 
Laprairie and the General on the South. We have had a Further Assur- 
ance of Friendship from the Caughnawaga Indians, this evening we shall 
have a 13 inch Mortar playing on the Forts. You Cannot Conceive what 
plenty of provisions we have here of all kinds from the Canadians in the 
Irish way to support our Army. Your Brother is in perfect health. 
We are Dayly in Expectation of a Re-enforcement of 400 men from Ticon- 
deroga, when shall muster 2000, when we shall be able to force our 
Enemy out off their hold. Be assured this will be my Last Letter to you 
unless you write me and give me a good Excuse. My Compliments to all 
Friends and particularly to your Spouse, and am Dear Sir, with the great- 
est regard Your most Obdt Humble Servant j^^igg y. Rensselaer. 

To Mr. Philip V. Rensselaer. 



46 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



James Van Rensselaer to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Camp before St. Johns, 23 Octr., 1775. 

The Euclosed is a list of the Geutlemen Taken at Chamblie. I hope 
you will show tlicm all the kindness in your power. Major Gansevoort 
[Peter Gansevoort], is still very weak. I hope to Leave this by the first 
of next month altho : the Army may Take up their Winter Quarters in 
Canada. My Compts to all Friends. 

I am Dr. Sir yours &c., 

James V. Rensselaer. 
To Philip Van Ilensselaer, Escj., at Albany, 
In favour of Major Stopford. 

A List of Officers' names, privates &c. — Major Stopford, Capt. Price, 
Capt. Godwin, Lt. Hamer, Lt. Harrison, A Surgeon, Lt. Shettleworth, 
Capt. Alye of the Schooner, Commis. McGolough. 76 privates. 

Spoils taken at Chamhlie the 18th Inst. — 80 Bar. of flour, 11 of Rice, 
7 peas, (3 Butter, 134 Bar. of Pork, 7 do Dam, 124 Bar. Gunpowder or 
6 Ton, 300 Swivel shot, 1 Box of Musket shot, cartridges, 150 French 
Arms, 3 Royal mortars, Gl Shells, 500 Hand Grenades, 83 stand of Royal 
Fuaileers, 88 Accouterments of do, A Large Quantity of naval Stores, 
&c. &c., for three vessels, 5 French prisonei's Taken at Longueuil. 

James Van Rensselaer, Esq., was aid-de-camp of General Montgomery. 
When General Carleton was informed of the capture of Fort Chambly, 
he immediately left Montreal with a strong reonforcement for the garri- 
son of St. Johns. With energetic power he embarked upon the river 
St. Lawrence in bateaux and flat boats, and attempted to land at 
Lougueil, a mile and a half below the city. Colonel Seth Warner, with 
three hundred Green mountain boys, was on the alert in the neighbor- 
hood, and lay in covert near the spot where Carleton was about to land. 

He allowed the boats to get very near the shore, whfcn he opened a 
terrible storm of grape shot upon them from a four pound cannon, which 
drove them across the river. The Canadians were greatly alarmed at all 
the warlike preparations before St. Johns, and many fled, but a declara- 
tion was sent assuring them that the Americans intended to act only 
against the British forts, and not to interfere with the people or their 
religion. 




Fort Chambt.y. 



General 3Iontgomery had been informed by some of the Canadian 
scouts, that the fort at Chambly had but a I'ceblc garrison, because Gene- 
ral Carleton supposed, as it was twelve miles northward on the river 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 47 

Sorel, it could not be reached by the Americans unless the one at St. 
Johns was captured. The garrison made but a feeble resistance and the 
surrender of the Chambly fort was an important event, for it furnished 
Gen. Montgomery with means to carry on the siege of St. Johns vigorously. 
The large quantity of ammunition, among the stores were three tons of 
powder that was captured, was sent immediately to the besiegers at St. 
Johns. The siege continued six weeks and then, on November 1st, the 
garrison surrendered prisoners of war, and the Continental troops had 
possession of the fort. After the defeat of Carleton the commander-in- 
chief immediately sent a flag and letter to Major Preston, the commandant 
of the garrison, informing him of the defeat and demanding a surrender 
of the fortress to prevent further effusion of blood. They marched out of 
the fort, the next day, with the honors of war, and the troops grounded 
their arms on the plain near by. The officers were allowed to keep their 
side arms and their fire arms were reserved for them. The garrison had 
been on half allowance. 

Nicholas Van Ee?isselaer to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Brother and Sister, Montreal NoV 21 1775. 

I embrace of this opportunity and inform you that I am in good health 
and hope these may find you and your family in the same. In the first 
place I must give you Joy with your young l)aughter [my Mother.] In 
the next place I will inform you how we have carried on our Seige against 
our Enemies. We lay at St. Johns six weeks and four Days before they 
surrendered, the first of this Instant they gave up ; the 13th of this Instant 
our Ueneral [Montgomery] Marched in this Town without the firing of a 
gun. General Carleton run ofi" with twelve Vessels well Loaded with 
provisions and Ammunition and run Down about 40 Miles Below this 
place where we had a Battery with Eight Guns in the very Narrowest 
place in the whole River, where they Could not pass without Being taken. 
They made an Attempt once to go by, but they Rqc'^ such hoot fire, that 
they was forced to go Back ; and our Royalty followed them up very Close 
and keep firing on them till they sent out a flag and made Capitulation. 
There was one Schooner Loaded with powder, that they threw all over 
Board. We took the twelve Vessels and the Brigadier General one Lieu- 
tenant Col. three Majors five Captains and six Lieut' and 113 Privates, 
Besides the Sailors ; they had a Vast sight of provisions which we have 
all took. The Officers of our Battalion are all Resolved to stay till next 
May and we are now lulisting our men over again to stay till that time, 
So you need not Expect me home till then and if the Service Requires I 
shall stay Longer. I Expect we shall within three Days, March to Cuhack 
[Quebec] to take that the General is going off' to morrow. I shall now 
Rest and Remain Your Loving Brother 

Nicholas V. Rensselaer. 

To Capt. Philip Van Rensselaer at Albany. 

After the garrison at St. Johns, which commands the entrance into 
Canada, had been besieged and taken, General Montgomery pursued his 
success, and took Montreal ; and designed to push his victories to Quebec, 
but meanwhile secured the confidence of the people by treating them with 
kindness. Governor Carleton escaped at night in a boat with mutiicd 
oars, and arrived at Quebec. 



48 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

James Van Eensselacr to ndlip Van Rensselaer. 
pg.,^. gjj. . Montreal 24 Nov'' 1775 

Before this Comes to hand you will no Doubt have the full particulars 
of our Success. I shall only mention to you The Taken of General Pres- 
cott and 113 privates with Eleven sail of Vessels, in which we shall 
tomorrow Embark for Quebec to join Col. Benedict Arnold, who is there 
with about 600 of his Army. Many of them have perished on their 
inarch for want of provisions, this acco' we have of Capt Ogden a Gentle- 
man from the Jerseys, who attended Col. Arnold. I hope you will Treat 
General Prescott with Disdain for his Barbarous Treatment of our friends 
in this Town. And also to poor Col. Ethan Allen who is shipped for 
England and Loaded with Irons. Your Brother is in good health and 
will attend the Army. My Compliments to all friends, and 

I remain Dr. Sir, your most obt. Hum. Servt, 

Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer, Albany. J^^ES Van Rensselaer. 

Col. Ethan Allen had been sent a few weeks before the taking of St. 
Johns by Gen. Montgomery to arouse the Canadians in favor of the re- 
bellion. He was induced to make an attack upon Montreal but was 
captured with thirty-eight of his Green mountain boys, and sent to Eng- 
land in irons. Allen deserved his fate for his rashness and disobedience 
of orders. Still, he was very near capturing Montreal with the small 
party he had led in advance, as was subsequently admitted by one of the 
British oflScers. When Colonel Prescott learned by conversation with 
Allen, that he was the same man who had captured Ticonderoga, he was 
greatly enraged, threatened him with a halter, and ordered him to be 
bound hand and foot in chains with an iron bar attached. A body of 
troops commanded by General Arnold was ordered to march to Canada, 
by the river Kennebec, and through the unexplored forest. After suffer- 
ing every hardship, and the most distressing hunger while in the wilder- 
ness, the whole army that remained arrived, on November 9th, at Point 
Levi opposite Quebec, after one of the most wonderful marches on record 
during the space of two months, and was soon joined by General Mont- 
gomery. Quebec, which was commanded by Governor Carleton, was im- 
mediately besieged. But there being little hope of taking the town by 
siege, it was determined to storm it on the last day of the year, December 
31st, by attacking Quebec on opposite sides. At 5 o'clock in the morn- 
ing. General Montgomery advanced against the lower town. He passed 
the first barrier, and was just opening to attack the second, when the dis- 
charge of a wall-piece from a neighboring house stretched Montgomery 
lifeless on the bloody snow, together with his aid-de-camp. Captain Mc- 
Pherson. The death of Montgomery was deeply lamented, he left on 
the rock of Quebec his blood, and to his country the legacy of his fame. 
Arnold also was completely disabled by a musket-wound and retired about 
three miles from the town ; after the arrival of General Wooster he r-e 
turned to Montreal. Meanwhile Gen. Carleton, being reenforced from 
England by troops under General Burgoyne, the Americans were obliged 
to make a hasty retreat, pursued by Burgoyne, and the whole army by 
July 1st were finally driven out of Canada. 



Legacy of IIistohical Gleanings. 49 



James V<iii Rensselaer to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Friend Head Quarters, Montreal, Jan'y 27th, 1776. 

Yours of the sixth Instant Came to hand the 19i'> Ult., by which I 
find you expected I was gone to Quebec but my reason for not going was 
my Lameness in one of my feet. General Montgomery advised me to 
stay till such time as I was Recovered, on my recovery I waited on General 
Wooster, that I was desirous of going down. But he had during my 
Lameness sent Mr. Lockwood his Secretary with Cash to the Army at 
Quebec, and Insisted on my staying until such time as he returned ; who 
did not Arrive but two days before the defeat and death of our brave 
General. Since which time the Business here in grantinir Commissions 
to the Canadians of the Several parishes who all choose their own Officers, 
has employed our time so Effectually that we have not had Leisure for a 
moment to ourselves. Which I can assure you has a very good effect on 
the Canadians in order to secure them to our interest. Notwithstanding 
the Cunning Artifice of the Priests and others, particularly the Scotts 
Merchants in this Town who have Jointly done every thing in their power 
to excite the Country to take up Arms ag' us ; they have absolutely re- 
fused the people who are our friends the rights of their Church. The 
spirits of our Distressed Army is greatly revived by the Arrival of some 
Volunteers from Massachusetts govt, under Arnold ; also by the Arrival 
of the Military Chest by Capt. Benson and the other Gentlemen. We 
have sent about 250 men to the assistance of our Friends at Quebec, in a 
day or two the remainder of the first Batt" of Yorkers are to march. Con- 
sisting of about 100 men, who are much wanted since our unhappy Affair 
there. They are Determined to have possession of the Town or perish 
before they Quit the Ground they now possess. It is hardly possible for 
you or any men in our Country to conceive the great Hardships they un- 
dergo. They are oblig' to be on guard every other night and they are 
Continually Laying on their Arms. The Snow is about 6 feet, the cold 
very severe and what's still worse the scarcity of Cash as nothing but 
gold or silver will answer here. Unless one or two Gentlemen from your 
Quarter should undertake to bring up a Quantity of Stores and Goods, 
and take Continental Currency in payment. I have thought that if you 
and Brother Harry should undertake any thing of the kind that I am 
very sure that you would make your fortune in a very short time. No 
good Liquors to be had here, Spirits of Different Quality is sold from IG 
to 20 shillings, lium from 10 to 12 &c. I am very sure that no person 
in your parts can afford to Convey goods to this place to so great an ad- 
vantage and with greater Security than you might do. I have not heard 
from your Brother Nicholas since he left this for Quebec, which is a fort- 
night ago this day. As I am appointed Muster Master to this Army in 
Canada I am ordered as soon as I have mustered the Troops here to March 
down to Quebec which will be the first Week after next, therefore you 
will not hear from me for some time ; please to present my Compf* to 
your Lady and the Young Ladies and to all friends. If we should ever 
return I hope our Brave friends will be rewarded. I have rec^' the 
Cutte. I am Dear Sir Yours &c. James V. Rensselaer. 

To Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer, Albany. 



50 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

As soon as the news of General Montgomery's death reached congress, 
resolutions of condolence with his family for their bereavement, and ex 
pressive of their grateful remembrance and respect were adopted. 

In Elngland his name was mentioned in parliament with singular 
respect. The minister acknowledged his worth saying : " Curse on his 
virtues, they have undone his country." 

The following letters to my mother's father, Philip Van Rensselaer, 
commissary of military stores of the Northern Department, show that the 
citizens of Albany were engaged in transporting provisions and other 
articles, and that '' Rum was one of the principal items of trafBc not only 
with the Indians on the frontiers of New York " but also to the army. 

Teunis Ts Van VccJiten to Pldlip Van Rensselaer. 
pggj. gjj. . Montreal 9th Feb : 1776. 

I arrived here this Morning safe with all my Cargo, but find the price 
of Rum much difi^erent from what we heard it was. I find on enquiry that 
N. York Rum sells at 6.s. and w. i. at 10s. per Gallon. Mr. Walter Liv- 
ingston advises me if I have a chance of selling the whole, at that price, 
to take it by all means, upon which I have been to General Woster and 
Gave him the offer of the whole, the N. York at 7s and the W. Indes at 
ll.s, upon which he has promised to give me an answer to Morrow. Goods 
I find so high here, that I doubt whether I shall purchase any only trifles 
that was sent for. Chocolate, brown Sugar, and Madaire Wines, I find 
very high here. The former sells from 5s. to 6s. by the Box, but I doubt 
whether it will answer to send any of those articles up, as there are some 
Merchants from this place gone down, who I make no doubt will bring- 
up a great quantity before you can send any up, however you must do as 
you think best, I have no time to enlarge at present, but shall give you 
a Chapter by the next Slays and am in haste. 

Your Most Hble Servt., Teunis T* Van Vechten. 

To Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer, Merch' : Albany. 

Teunis T^ Van Vechten to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir : Montreal 11th Febx : 1776. 

In my last I wrote you that Rum was much cheaper here then we ex- 
pected, and that I had given General Woster the offer of the whole we 
have here at 7 & lis. and Yesterday I waited upon him at his own request 
to know whether it would answer for him to take it, he seem'd to have 
an inclination to take it, but had some objections to the price of the lis. 
and said if I would let him have it at 9s. 4(/. he would take the whole. 
I then told him I would take 10 & 7s. which he seem'd to have no ob- 
jections to, but desir'd I would go with him to Price & Haywoods whom 
he had appointed Contractor for the Army which I did and after some 
discourse upon the Subject, they appear'd to be glad of the offer, and 
intimated as much, as that they would be glad to take the whole at the 
price the General offer'd, which I meant to have taken up with, if he 
would give no more, but before I left the House, the General, Mr. Price 
& Haywood were called out of the room one after the other, and when 
they came in again, the General told me if I would take 6s. for the N. 
York he would take it, but the lis. he did not want. I told him I would 
not take less than 7s. & 10s. and so left them. It appears very clear to 
me that there is a Combination amongst the Merchants of this place 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 51 

(in which some others may be concern'd) not to purchase our rum, with 
tiie view of gitting it at their own price, but I am determin'd they shall 
take no advantage of me, and mean now to make myself quite easy untill 
Dirck Swart comes up and take his advice upon the matter. I have sent 
nothing down by the Slays for want of Money. Mr. Livingston advises 
me now by no means to take less for our Rum then 7s. & 10s. I have 
no time to say more as the Sla3's are Just now setting of, please not to 
fail to send up a Good Cheese by the first opportunity for Mr. Livingston. 

Ideau — I am Yours, &c., 
Philip Van Rensselaer at Albany. Teunis T« Van Veciiten. 

1776, February 12 — Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer B' of Henry Oothout. 

3 Muskets at 70.s £10': 10 

4 do & 3 Cartridge Boxes, 16 : 



£26: 10 
Mr. Robert Bay to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Sir : New York, 14 Feby 1776. 

This minute I Rec*J your Esteemed f:iv of the 28 Janv and 7th Feby 
the Inclosed for Mr. Yates I have DD'' the other two for Ch^ Dickenson 
and John Livingston shall endeav to D-D"" tomorrow as they are both out 
of town : I shall as you desire endeav"" to buy Livingston's Rum for you : 
as soon as he Conies to town : I have not heard the price mentioned of 
that article in 2 or 3 weeks : then it was at 3s. and if he will take that or 
less shall purchase for you : my Still house as well as all others have been 
locked up this 2 months : and I do not know if there be a hh'' to Sell in 
town : however shall Enquire tomorrow: this being 10 O'clock at night. 
If I find any I shall be loth to purchase unless they will take the Risque 
of Delivering it at Albany, for we are in daily expectation of having our 
City knocked down and burned by the Men of Warr : most all the Effects 
are moved out of town : and at least half the familys are gone and others 
agoing so that we are a Complete Garrisontown : we have 2500 Soldiers 
here from Connecticut and Jerseys: Just now hear 1500 more troops 
from Connecticut are at Kingsbridge and many Company's from the 
Countys marching hither : it is Said by Saturday night we shall have 
8000 troops : I wish my family was at your place : tomorrow morning 
Gen' Lee breaks Ground to Intrench from north to East River, so that 
you may Judge of our unhappy Situation, observe you have Secured a 
house for me and would lay up some wood for me : for which I am ex- 
treenily oblige to you. I believe the Sloops that Come here first in the 
Spring will meet with good freight to move goods and familys up the 
River, observe Cousin Betsey Sanders is dead the Lord I hope will pre- 
pare us all for the like Change, observe you take the brandy to yourself 
at 8.S. p'' Gall : which is agreable. I shall pay Mr Dickerson the Money 
if he Chuses to take it here. 

I shall write you again Soon, observe you expect to have £2000 — 
hard Money for me Soon which will be Very agreable : you may draw on 
me for Money if you have occasion, observe what you say in regard to 
Cous" Sarah Babbington which is Very well : make no Doubt you will 
endeav to get them some work so as they may get a living among you. 
My family are all in reasonable health : and give their Sincere love to you 
all : and Couz : John Sanders and his family : please to tell him we Con- 



52 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

dole with him in the loss of his Daughter. I beg you will push John 
Roff Close to get that order paid. 

I am Respectfully Sir Y' Most Humbl- Servt. 

Mr Philip Van Rensselaer. l'^^^^- ^■'^^ 

Eichard Tales to Pldlip Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, New York, the 15 February, 1776. 

I have already wrote you p' this Post, since which I am favoured with 
yours of the 23 Ultimo by w^^ I observe you had sold four Chests of Tea 
so as to Neat 4*- 6, p' p^ and that you should be able to gett me hard 
money for the whole wch I take very kind. I observe you expected it 
would be all Sold in a lew Days, that Article is now become very Scarce 
here and the price If Risen. I have a Parcell on Hand wch I will dispose 
of whenever I can obtain a Suitable Price, if the price advances with you 
lett me know and I can Supply you either from here, Esopus, Red Hook 
or Poughkeepsy. I have no other Liquor for Sale than Madeira Wine, 
you may have as much as you want, on the Terms mentioned in the other 
Letter. If you want any Sweet Oyle I can supply you, it is Choice good, 
if you Can Sell any for me I will send you as many dozen Quart Bottles 
as you please. I now inclose you Robert Hoaksleys order for Eleven 
Tons of the first Quality of Pearle Ash w^' I desire you'l receive and 
keep it till further orders, pray Inform me the Price of Pearle & Pott 
Ash. I would barter any thing I have gott for those Articles provided 
the price is Moderate. Cap any quantity of Beeze Was be gott and at 
what Rate. I have a few hhds. of Red Wine in the Hands of Mr. Morvin. 
I should be glad you could help him to a Purchasor, lett me hear from 
you p'' first Post or other Good Conveyance, and keep all the money 
until! further orders. 

Your most hum' Serv^ 

To Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer. Richard I^ates, 

AhraUnm P. Lott to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Sir : New l^ork, Feby 16th, 1776. 

* * * Will you also be pleased to keep 60tbs of the best of the 
Tea, let Mrs. Van Rensselaer try it. Good Tea is very Scarce here, and 
I want it for my own use! All the Tea that I had Sold, except what you 
have. You will be pleased to speak to Sheriff Ten Eyck and Ask him 
whether he has Received or Secured the Debt due from Isaac Mann to 
me; if not to Employ a Lawyer to Sue him Immediately. Mrs. & Miss 
Lott desire to be Remembered to yourself and all friends. 

I am Sir, Your very hble Servt. 

jMr. Philip Van Rensselaer. Ab"" P. Lotts. 

Mr Abraham P. Lott was a member of the " Committee of One Ilun- 
di-ed" whose energetic actions were exercised in behalf of the people 
according to their known will while the Provincial Congress legislated. 
It was indeed a grand Committee of Safety for New l^ork State, consist- 
ing of one hundred of the most respectable citizens; among its members 
were Robert Ray, Richard I'^ates, John Jay, &c. General James Wil- 
kinson(then captain) had been put under marching orders for Canada, 
snV)ject to the command of Brigadier-general Sullivan who succeeded 
Gen. Thomas after the death of the latter by small-pox at Chambly. In 
May Captain Wilkinson was made the instrument of saving General 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 53 

Arnold and the garrison of Moutreal, from the grasp of Sir Guy Carleton 
who had arrived within fourteen miles of Montreal without Gen. Arnold's 
knowledge. He was exceedingly surprised at the report, but he was able 
to make good his retreat by La Prairie. 

The army in Canada were subjected to very great hardships, sufferings, 
and privations during the whole of that disastrous campaign. Destitute 
of the necessary supplies of provisions and stores, exhausted by fatigue, or 
reduced by sickness, with the small pox, attended by unexampled mor- 
tality, they were for a long time in a state little short of desperation. 
Then too the misfortune which had taken place at the Cedars, about forty 
miles above Moutreal, a post occupied by Col. Bedell. Gen. Carleton's 
Indians were led by Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant). Captain Brant 
exerted himself to control the Indians and prevent the massacre of the 
prisoners. Among these latter, was Captain John McKinstry, (Col. 
IMcKinstry, of Livingston Manor,) who commanded a company on that 
occasion and was rescued from torture by the timely interference of Brant. 
The very name of this celebrated chief at one period was enough to throw 
the country into confusion. In his day, when the Dutch was the pre- 
dominating language, the terrified inhabitants felt liappi/ when tliey as- 
certained that the cry of brandt ! brandt ! o?i7y indicated the accidental 
breaking out o^ fire. Capt. Brant had the credit of all the foul murders 
and atrocities of that period, the murder of the Vrooman family, in the 
execution of which the Tories were more brutal than the savages, all of 
whom were dispatched and scalped, the cruel massacres committed at 
Wyoming and Cherry Valley and the very affecting story of the thirty 
years' captivity of young Groat, of Schenectady, were all attributed to him. 
An incident, however, occurred at Fort Hunter, which is greatly to his 
credit. After the enemy had departed, a woman came to the fort, whose 
husband and several other members of the family were missing. She 
was in an agony of grief, rendered more poignant by the loss of her infant, 
which had been snatched from the cradle. Early the next morning, while 
the officers at Gen. Bobert Van Bensselaer's head-quarters were at break- 
fast, a young Indian warrior came bounding into the room like a stag, bear- 
ing in his arms an infant, and also a letter from Brant, addressed to the com- 
manding officer of the rebel army, which read thus : '' Sir : I send you by 
one of my runners, the child which he will deliver, that you may know 
that whatever others may do, I do not make war upon women and children. 
I am sorry to say that I have those engaged with me in the service, who 
are more savage than the savages themselves." Matters were now rapidly 
approaching a crisis ; the spirit of resentment was being fanned into a 
flame ; a dark and bloody cloud was hovering over the land, and the great 
question was soon to be decided, whether they would be slaves or free- 
men, whether their names should be blackened with the stigma of rebellion, 
or handed down to posterity as the saviours of their country. While 
Capt. Wilkinson was actively engaged in the duties of his station in 
Canada he was suddenly struck down by a typhus fever which prevailed 
with great violence, and swept off more than one thousand of our troops. 
" As soon as I could bear the motion of a wagon, was placed on a bed and 
transported to Albany, where I was restored to health by the fostering 
care of Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq., and his amiable lady, and the tender 
attentions of General Schuyler and his respectable consort." 



54 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Hubbard Brown to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Ticonderoga, March 5th 1776. 

I have this Instant received yours of the 24th of February, shall 
take the first opportunity to Send all the arms both at this and Crown 
Point with the Casks and barrels of Rum according to your Order. 

I am Sir, your Humble Servt, 
To Mr." Philip Van Rensselaer. Hubbard Brown. 

Hubbard Broion to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Ticonderoga March 5th 1776. 

I happened to be at Mr. Adam's when I received your letter. Made 
Immediate inquiry for your Rum, found it safe, hired Mr. Adams to Put 
it on his Slay and Carry it to My Store, think myself happy that it lays 
in my Power to oblige you. 

I am dear Sir, at any Time, Yours to Command, 

Hubbard Brown. 

Abraham P. Lott to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Sir : New York March 7, 1776. 

Whereas I have Partly Agreed to Supply the Army here. Shall be 
in want of a Quantity of Peas. Which you will Please to Purchas about 
five or six hundred bussells, on my Act. Lett them be good boyling peas, 
and Send two hundred bussell by the first Opportunity. Lett the Capt : 
Land them at the North River. What Teas you have on hand of mine 
you Will not Sell Less then 5s. per lb. as it Sells here for that Price by the 
Chest. Mrs. Lott, Miss Phelu is Well & Desire to be Remembered to your 
Wife & Aunt Egberts family, they are in the Garyes [Jerseys] Sir, I 
Remain your friend to Serve, AbiM. P. Lott. 

Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer, Merchant in Albany. 

RicJiard Varick to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Sir : Head Quarters Albany March 28. 1776. 

You will be pleased to deliver to the Bearer hereof Mr. William McGea 
of Capt. Peter's Company of Batteauxmen, three Hogsheads of Oakham, 
twenty Barrels of Pitch and all the Rope you have on Board belonging 
to the Public to be carried up to this Place Immediately. 
I am sir Your Humble Servant 
By Order of General Schuyler. 




This Order was sent by Philip Van Rensselaer To the officer on 
Board of the Vessel in which the Public Stores are laden who has the 
same in Charge from New York to Albany. 

Received From on Board of the Sloop Peggy & Betsey. Daniel Fur- 
gerson Master. 

March 29, 1776, 20 Barrels Pitch. ") 

do Cap. Peters j 
do pr Capt. Clute ] 
Turpentine j 

April 1 <' 12 Barrels Pitch 

do " & a parcel of loose Oakham. 

Gerritt J. Lansingh, Capt. 



31, 


(( 


15 


31, 


(C 


34 




& 


4 


1 


<( 


12 


5 


u 


19 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 55 

Richard Vavick was a colonel at the battle of Stillwater in 1777 and a 
sterlinp; patriot. Pie admired Arnold as a soldier ; and when that officer's 
defection became known, Varick was almost insane for a day or two. 
Varick became one of Washington's military family near the close of the 
war, as his recording secretary. On the death of John Jay, he was 
elected president of the American Bible Society. He died on the 30th of 
July, 1831. 

The British army under General Gage in Boston, consisted of twenty 
regiments, not less than 10,000 men. Some of these valiant British offi- 
cers, soon after they arrived, while walking ou Beacon hill in the evening 
were frightened by the buzzing of beetles in the air, which they took for 

the whizzing of bullets. ^ • ^ a -10.-^1 ittk 

^ Crown point April 2oth 177o. 

Deliver'd to Coll. Bewel to Be forwarded to Canada 36 Hundered 
weight of Ledd. 13 Hundered weight of Ledd and 19 Hundered weight 
of Balls, one anvil, one vice, one Buckhorn, one pair of Belluws, one 
Sledge, one pair of tongs, one Hammer for the use of the United Colonys. 

liec'i the above. ^^^^, ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^ ^ jj ^^^^^^^ 

Daniel Sale to PMlip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir : Saratoga 20 May 177G. 

By General Schuylers orders I inclose you a draft on Doctor Stringer 
for £387. 2. which Cash you will please to receive & remitt immediately 
to Messes Ludlow & Shaw of New York with tl>e £20 of Capt Dow for 
account of General Schuyler ; when Capt. Varick comes up again I purpose 
sending you three or four hundred more for the same purpose. You will 
much oblige me by inquiring at the Post house for Letters for me. 

I am with respect Sir. 

Your very Hble Servt. 

Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer. Dan : Hale. 

Invoice of 22 barrels & 4 half bis. Gun Powder shipfi on Board the 
schooner Resolution at New Windsor on May 23d 1776 by Henry VVisner 
Esq. on Acct, the Continental Congress and address'd to Philip V Rens- 
selaer 

Robert Boyd to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, In consequMice of direction from Henry Wisner, Esqr I now send 
you Continental Powder as Received from him agreeable the Above Invoice 
which wish safe to hand and in good Order. 

I am Sir, your most Obedt. Hum. Servt., 

RoBT. Boyd, Junr. 

P. S. This will be handed you by Lieut Peter Elsworth who commands, 
the guard was thought necessary to attend whom you'll please send me a 
Receipt by, also the freight if agreeable which think at least must be ten 
Pounds. 

Henry Wisner, Esq., was one of the delegates to the first Continental 
Congress in 1774. 

Crown Point 26 May 1776 — Received of Lieut. Job Cook, Late Com- 
manding officer of this Place one half Barrel Pork,. one Barrel Condem'' 



56 Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 

Pork, Eleven Muskets, Two Blunderbusses, one fourth of a Barrel of Oat 
Meal, Ten Gallons Molasses, Two Iron Pots, one Ax, one Barrel Salt. 
Tooctlier with a number of Towls, Lately taken from the Ruins of the 
Fort, such as Pistols, Guns & French Spades, Crow-Bars, Bill- Hooks, 
Stone-Augers, & Stone- Hammers, the above Rec' belonging to the Public 
Stores of the United Collonies. 

By me, John Barun, Lieut. 

Henry Olen to PJiilip Van Eensselaer. 
Dear Sir Schenectady, the 1st July, 1776. 

Yours Yesterday I Rec'^ But was not Dated I now send you some 
Wagons in order to send over some Attelry stores as you have not men- 
tioned the number you do want I am at the loss to Know what number 
to send dont over load the wagons as the Road is Very Havey & them 
Stores Commonly Very Havey. I shall be Glad to know by the Wagoners 
the Quantity & Quality Each Wagon has in. I had a few days ago 
orders from General Schuyler to send you a Considerable number of 
Wagons. But them Orders was Contrcmauded on Ace' of the Treaty 
with the Indians is Refere'' till a further day. I have no doubt but Genl. 
Schuyler has ordered you to let me Know for the Wagons only let me 
Know the number you want in the whole, you have orders I sopose to 
send a Certain Quantity of Ordnance Stores & its Easy to tell what 
Number of Wagons you will want — each Wagon carrys about one 1,000 
weight. I shall expec* to hear this day if I am to forward them Stores 
& to whom & if any Person that has wheight of them. I have no Battoes 
as yet but Can get them. 

I am in haste Dear Sir, Your most Hum' Servt. 

Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq. Henry Glen. 

In New York, the leaden statue of George III was taken down and 
converted into bullets tor the use of the Continental Troops. 

On the ith of Juli/, 1776, upon the report of the Committee, the 13 
confederate colonies dissolved their allegiance to the British crown, and 
boldly declared themselves Fi-ee and Indcjjeiident under the name of the 
Thirteen United States of America. The declaration of Independence 
was signed by 56 brave men. 

Clmstoplier Tates to PJiilip Van Rensselaer. 
gir Wood Creek, July 15th, 1776. 

I just now Receive' the Iron works for the Inglish saw-Mill having 
rec^ that of the Duch some time ago. I am in want for four Duch Mills 
saw-files and four Inglish &c. which you may Probably have a Chance of 
sending with the Iron work for the Barracks and the Store House. 

I am Sir, your Hum. Serv^ 

Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer. Chris" Yates. 

The mills were situated near the cascade on Wood creek. The mouth 
of the creek is a cascade and difficult for canoes to enter. Wood creek 
rises in Warren county, and flowing by Fort Ann in a deep and sluggish 
stream, receives the waters of the Pawlet, and falls into Lake Champlain 
at Whitehall or Skenesborouirh. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 57 

The Tiidepcnilaiit States of New York 

to Ab"" IJou^ert & Cor« Doiiw Dr. 177G, Auc;. 2 
To 1 Anchor Wei-hs B.^" 20 i' with 8tuck & Piiding @9 ... £Vo: 11: 6 

To 1 liuiiner & Tackle Weighs lOGX Lb lOG-i j 

To 1 Cable in Length 50 Fathom & 2 J Foot ^00 j 406^ ©G' 10: 3: 3 

£23: 14: 9 
Received Albany 23 ' NoV of P. Van Ptensselaer Public Store keeper the 
Sum of Twenty three pounds, 14s. 9d. in full. Cornelius Douw 

Orders to the Armorer. 
Sir, 

Mr. John James Bleeckcr is in want of 3 Guns. 

To Mr. P. Schuyler. John N. Bleecker, 

Sir, 

Please to furnish John James Bleecker with three Guns he ""ivins: 
his Rect for the same. C. Robt : Yates Sec^ 

To Walter Livingston, Esq., Comsv 

Rec^i the Contents. Wm. Thorn, Lieut. 

The officers of the Provincial Congress were Peter van Brugh 
Livingston as president ; Volkert P. Douw, vice president ; John McKisson 
and Robert Benson, secretaries. 

Capt. Wm. Hull to Andrew Adams. 
])gai.Sir: Trenton, Jany 1st, 1777. 

Have but a moment which shall embrace with Pleasure to inform you 
of the present State of our Army and our late Success. After we had 
recruited a few days of a fatiguing March of more than 250 Miles (thro' 
all our Windings) Genl. Washington gave orders for us to be every way 
equiped for Action. On the Evening of the 25th Ult (Dec. 25, 177G) 
we were Ordered to March to a ferry [McConkey's Ferry] about twelve 
Miles from Trenton, where was stationed near two Thousand Hessians. 
As violent a Storm ensued of Hail & Snow as I ever felt. The Artillery 
and Infantry all were across the Ferry about twelve O'clock, consisting 
of only twenty one hundred principally ^Jew England Troops. In this 
Violent Storm we marched on for Trenton. Before Light in the Morn- 
ing we gained all the Roads leading from Trenton. The Genl. gave 
Orders that every Officer's Watch should be set by his, and the Moment 
of Attack was fixed. Just after Light, we came to their out Guard, 
which fiired upon us and retreated. The first sound of the Musquetry 
and Retreat of the Guards animated the Men and they pushed on with 
Resolution and Firmness. Happily the fire begun on every Side at the 
same instant, their Main Body had just Time to I'orm when there ensued 
a heavy Cannonade from our Field Pieces and a fitie brisk and lively fire 
from our Infantry. This continued but a Short Time before the Enemy 
finding themselves flanked on every Side laid down their Arms. The 
Resolution and Bravery of our Men, their Order and Regularity gave 
me the highest Sensation of Pleasure. Genl. Washington highly con- 
gratulated the Men on next day in Genl. Orders, and with Pleasure 
observed, that he had been in Many Actions before, but always perceived 



58 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

some Misbehaviour in some individuals, but in that Action he saw none. 
Pennsylvania itself is obliged to acknowledge the Bravery of New Eng'd 
Troops. I have a List from Head Quarters of the killed and taken, which 
was taken the day after the Action, since which many more have been 
brought in : 1 Col. wounded since dead, 2 Lieut. CoP. taken, 3 Majors, 
4 Ca'pts., 8 Lieuts., 12 Ens'ns, 92 Serj'ts, 9 Musicians, 12 Drums. 25 
Servants, 842 Privates, 2 Capt's killed, 2 Lieuts. killed 50 privates 
Six Brass Field Pieces, One Mortar, and about 1500 Stands of Arms. 
A large Number of Horses and a vast Quantity of Plunder of every kind. 
And this, Sir, I will assure you with only the Loss of Six or seven on our 
Side, this is no Exaggeration but simple fact, 'tis impossible to describe 
the Scene to you as it appeared. We immediately retreated across the 
River [Delaware] and did not get to our Tents till next Morning — two 
Nights and one day in as violent a Storm as I ever felt. What can't Men 
do when engaged in so noble a Cause. Our Mens Time expired Yester- 
day, they have generally engaged to tarry six weeks longer. My Com- 
pany almost to a man. Orders have now come for us to march for 
Princetown. We have a Rumor that it was burned last night by the 
Enemy, who we suppose are about retreating. Compliments to Miss 
Adams & Children. Adieu and believe me to be sincerely yours, 




Andrew Adams, Litchfield Connecticut. 

Captain Hull, the writer of this letter, was the Maj. Gen. William Hull 
who subsequently, August 16, 1812, surrendered the American army at 
Detroit to the British General Brock. General Washington, far from 
being discouraged by the loss of General Lee, had taken a stand on the 
Penn.sylvania side of the Delaware. He collected his scattered forces and 
on the night of the 25th of December (1776), when the enemy were 
lulled into security by the idea of his weakness, and the inclemency of 
the night, which was remarkably boisterous, as well as by the fumes of a 
Christmas eve, he crossed the river, and at breaking of day, marched 
down to Trenton, and so completely surprised them, that the greater part 
of the detachment which were stationed at this place, surrendered after a 
short resistance. Gen. Washington was equally successful in his attack 
on Princeton and pursued Gen. Cornwallis for some distance. 



CHAPTER III. 

Surrender of Burgoyne. 



My paternal grandfather, General Hendrick or Henry K., the eldest 
son of Col. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and Ariaantie Schuyler, was born 
July 25, 1744. " He was a brave officer, who fought with great ardor 
and distinction in the revolutionary war. He was in several engage- 
ments during which he uniformly displayed great coolness and courage in 



Legacy of IIistohical Gleanings. 59 

trying scenes." The earliest evidence of his participation in tlie struggle 
for Independence is a letter to the Committee of Safety, requesting 
supplies of different kinds for the garrison under his command at one of 
the forts on the Hudson river. He did not come in contact with the 
enemy while stationed there ; but soon after was engaged in a little affair, 
which, tliough of no very material consequence, serves to illustrate the 
well timed gallantry of a favorite, worthy citizen of Albany, and therefore 
iu connection with his more important services, perhaps may merit a pass- 
ing notice : While out with a scouting party of militia some distance 
below West Point, he was descried by a more numerous body of British 
cavalry, which pursued him so warmly that he had barely time to gain 
the shelter of a neighboring log hut, when they surrounded it. He re- 
fused to comply with the summons to surrender, when the enemy dis- 
mounted and advanced on foot to compel him to do so. As they 
approached, however, Captain Van Rensselaer ranged his men opposite 
the door, and at the proper moment threw it open himself, with the word 
to fire. The order was obeyed with terrific effect, half of the enemy fell, 
the rest fled in dismay and sought to mount again, but our brave men in 
their turn now followed so closely, that the enemy were obliged to abandon 
their horses and trust to their legs for safety. One or two only succeeded 
in getting away, all the rest were either killed, wounded or taken. The 
captain's own particular object iu the chase was to secure alive the person 
of the enemy's leader ; it was frustrated, however, by one of his men, who 
shot him dowu after a long run. The prisoners, horses, and arms were 
all carried to the American camp. Capt. Van Rensselaer appropriated a 
fusee to himself, from the captured weapons and bore it as a trophy of 
this victory iu every subsequent expedition. 

Congress appointed Major Gen. Philip Schuyler to the command of 
the northern department including Albany, Ticonderoga, &c., and Major 
General St. Clair had the immediate supervision of the posts of Ticon- 
deroga and Mount Independence. The battle of Lexington had opened 
the first scene to the great drama and after the Jirst blood had been spilled 
all were ready for the war which severed America from the British em- 
pire. In July 1776 congress published their declaration of Independence 
and this great event was followed by a desperate struggle on both sides for 
the ascendancy. On the Americans' part every hand was employed in 
preparing for the reception of the enemy, and the public mind was turned 
from local and provincial contests but directed exclusively to the great 
contest now fiercely raging. The British General Burgoyne, commander- 
in-chief of the English army in Canada, designed to take possession of 
Ticonderoga and force his way through to Albany, and thus form a junc- 
tion with the British General Howe at New York. This was the general 
rumor, and apprehension reached its climax when on June 30th, 1777, 
General Burgoyne's army at length made its appearance near the posts at 
Ticonderoga. After a few unimportant skirmishes with the garrison, the 
British army was unexpectedly seen, on the ensuing July 5th, to take 
possession of, and earnestly engaged in extensive preparations for bom- 
barding the old fort, from the perfectly commanding but hitherto neg- 
lected height of Sugar loaf hill or Mount Defiance, only 1400 yards oflF 
which completely overlooked and commanded Ticondei'Oga. 

It is a matter of surprise to many of the present day, who visit the 
scene of those operations, that this important elevation had never been 
previously Ibrtified by any one of the occupants of this ancient fortress, 



GO Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

and indeed, a neglect of the kind now would be considered unpardonable. 
]5utwhen the wild state of the country, the entire want of roads, difficulty 
of access and the obstacles opposed to such a measure from the broken 
nature of the ground, are taken into consideration, the oversight in our 
officers will not appear so astonishing, particularly, as their more experi- 
enced predecessors in possession of this fort, both French and English, 
had deemed themselves sufficiently guarded in natural obstructions, from 
any annoyance in that quarter. However, all those difficulties were sur- 
mounted by the enterprise of the British army, who quickly "scaled the 
formidable mount." General 13urgoyne, with a boldness, secrecy and dis- 
patch almost unparalleled, conveyed a number of cannon, stores, and troops, 
who soon cut roads through the forest up the abrupt sides of the eminence, 
its summit leveled and by " hoisting cannon by large brass tackles from tree 
to tree, and from rock to rock, over dens of rattlesnakes" they transported 
ordnance from their vessels to the heights for the destruction of our works 
at Ticonderoga. At this crisis, the foresight of General St. Clair quickly 
pointed out the inutility of further defense, and in a council of war 
immediately convened by him, it was resolved to evacuate the fort that 
same night, an act by which " though he had lost a post he had saved a 
state," was afterwards verified. In pursuance of that design the baggage, 
munitions, ordnance, hospital stores, etc., at three o'clock, A. M. of July 6th, 
1777, were put on board the gun boats and bateaux under charge of the 
heroic Colonel Long, of New Hampshire, with 150 effective men, besides 
the invalids, and sent through the South bay of Lake Champlain, to the 
Skenesborough falls on Wood creek, to be landed there, and transported 
round the falls, to other boats above, and thus to be dispatched for Fort 
Ann. The main body of our forces under Gen. St. Clair, being thiis 
divested of all incumbrances, " retired by an unfinished road through the 
wilderness." and encamped the next night near Castleton, six miles beyond 
Hubbardton. Col. Francis and Col. Seth Warner with the rear guard of 
about 800 men in all, quartered at the latter place. Interim Gen. Bur- 
goyne, having ascertained the movements of our troops, lost no time in 
pursuing them. Notwithstanding his surprise at the unexpected event, 
and the impediments to be surmonnted, by nice o'clock the following morn- 
ing, one division of his army, after detaching two regiments to garrison the 
abandoned works, was on full march after the American main body. The 
other under his own immediate command had removed the chevanx-de-frise 
(bridge, boom and chain, which cost our people such immense labor) placed 
between Forts Ticonderoga and Independence to delay him. and in his 
frigate, the Royal George, with his flotilla, was soon in full chase, with a 
favoring breeze, after Col. Long. 

At 5 o'clock the ensuing morning, July 6th, one-half of the division in 
pursuit of our main body, under command of Brigadier Gen. Frazer, by 
a forced march came up with our rear guard at Hubbardton, as it was 
parading to continue the retreat. An obstinate and bloody action ensued, 
in which victory was for a time doubful ; but the timely arrival of Major 
Geu. Riedesel with his Brunswickcrs and Hessians (I'urnished to King 
George III by the Duke of Brunswick and Prince of Hesse), decided it 
against the Continental troops. Our loss was estimated at about 300 in 
killed, wounded and missing; among the first was Col. Francis " who fell 
Avith other valuable officers while bravely fighting with distinguished 
gallantry." The Joss of the British and their allies was much greater. 
After this affair, our main body continued its retreat uumolestedly by a 



Legacy of IIistouical Gleanings. 61 

circuitous route, and joined Gen. Schuyler at Fort Edward. Col. Lon<^ 
reached the rapids of AVood creek, on the succeeding afternoon from 
leaving Ticonderoga, and immediately commenced unlading his vessels, 
and dispatched the cargo round the portage. While thus occupied, he 
perceived the ]>ritisli frigates and gun boats bearing down upon him, 
their errand was easily divined, but the gallant Long (leteruiined to balk 
them if possible. An express was sent to Col. Henry K. Van llensselacr 
at Fort Ann, for assistance. The stores, as fast as they could be sent on 
shore, were transferred on smaller boats and sent up the creek, while 
every measure was taken to facilitate the escape of the valuable stores and 
to retard the advancing foe. As soon as he was near enough, such a tre- 
mendous fire was opened upon him from the fort at Skenesborough (now 
Whitehall), that the general (Burgoyne) thought proper to return and 
land his army at South bay. At this time Col. Long, perceiving a 
manccuvre calculated to cut oif his retreat, and knowing his inability to 
keep this overwhelming force in check, set fire to the fort, mills, store- 
houses and bateaux, together with the bulk of the baggage and stores, to 
prevent their falling into J^urgoyne's hands, and followed after his loaded 
boats, toward Fort Ann, destroying in his course every bridge and felling 
trees in the road to impede the progress of the enemy, or at least to render 
the transportation of ordnance impracticable. We experienced no loss of 
men on this occasion, though it is taken for granted, from the more ex- 
posed situation of the enemy that they must have suffered severely. 
Lieut. Col. Hill with the 9th regiment was dispatched after Col. Long, 
while the other British regiments were sent in separate detachments 
about the countr}' to increase the panic already occasioned by the loss of 
Ticonderoga and by the defeat of Cols. Francis and Warner, at Hubbard- 
ton. Col. Long was conscious that the panic had even seized his own 
troops and that therefore an action with his pursuers was impolitic even 
with equal forces ; but with his inferior number and order of troops a 
defeat was morally certain. Yet the vital importance of the stores, in his 
charge, to the army — consequently to the independence of his country — 
was so great that he nobly resolved if overtaken to contend to the vei'y 
last. 

The express reached Col. Van Rensselaer in the night, and he promptly 
signified his intention of complying with Col. Long's request for assistance, 
when every soldier in his command volunteered to accompany him. They 
set out at day break on July 8, 1777, but had not proceeded far " ere the 
loud din of war" was heard in the distance and warned them of the brave 
Long's jeopardy. With redoubled speed the patriotic corps purshed their 
march and were soon convinced by the increasing roar of fire arms, and 
by the occasional whiz of a bullet that they were near the scene of battle. 
A moment's halt then satisfied Col. Van Rensselaer of the relative position 
of the contending parties and of his eligible point of attack against the 
now prevailing enemy. The site he selected was on the left of Col Long, 
where the foe stood thickest. The galling fire he threw among them 
thinned their ranks and compelled them, according to their own story, 
to think " it necessary to change their position in the very height 
of action." They were beaten, actually beaten off the field, and con- 
tinued to fall back as long as it was thought expedient to press them, 
but for the lack of ammunition this 9th Royal Regiment would have been 
annihilated. '• The enemy being almost surrounded, were on the point of 
surrendering, whem our ammunition being expended, and a party of In- 



62 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

dians arriving and setting up the war-whoop, this being followed by three 
cheers from the English, the Americans were induced to give way and 
retreat." As it was, our chief object was obtained, the timely and vigor- 
ous onset of Col. Van Rensselaer enabled Col. Long to move ofi' with his 
invalids and part of the baggage which were subsequently delivered over 
to Gen. Schuyler at Fort Edward. " Our array was in very deplorable 
circumstances, actually deficient in ammunition " and every necessary 
article to render it efficient against the veteran and well supplied invaders. 
The following extract of a letter from the secretary of Gen. Schuyler, 
written about this time, proves the want of one of the indispensable 
articles in our army, viz. bullets, and even of the material to make them. 
It also alJ'ords a criterion to estimate the value of Colonel Long's charge, 
as that was one of the principal items among the articles saved from the 
conflagration and enemy's hand : 

The citizens of Albany only can supply our immediate exigencies ; 
recourse must therefore be had to the committee, begging their interposi- 
tion to collect such lead as is in the city : the lead from windows and 
weights may perhaps afford a supply for the present. As soon as it is 
collected, Mr. Rensselaer [Philip Van Rensselaer Esq. commissary of 
military stores and member of the Committee of Safety, the father of Mrs. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, and proprietor of the old Cherry Hill estate 
near the city of Albany] will have it made into ball, and send it up 
without a moment's delay. Should a wagon be sent off with one box, as 
soon as it is ready it must be pushed off; also all the buck shot. 

By order of Major general Schuyler, 

J. Lansing, Jun., Secretary. 

Mr. Lansing was afterwards chancellor of the state of New York. It 
may be gratifying to learn that this requisitioa was in every particular 
complied with ; lead was taken from the windows and shops at Albany 
and soon moulded into bullets. The contributions from our patriotic an- 
cestors in lead and pewter mugs, cups, teapots and platters, not only 
enabled the commissary to answer the call for the then "immediate emer- 
gencies " but to supply a few extra balls for the equipment of some of 
the ci'owd, then constantly flocking for the defense of their couuti-y's 
liberty and rights. During the most severe part of the conflict, on July 
8th '' near the narrciw pass between some high rocks and the river " in close 
proximity to the old Fort Ann, Colonel Van Rensselaer in following up 
the advantage he had gained ovor the enemy was desperately wouudcd, 
the effects of which he severely felt through the remainder of his life. 
He received a musket-ball in his leg as he was in the act of stepping over 
a fallen tree. The ball entered his thigh, broke the bone and glanced up 
to the hip joint where it lodged and remained for nearly forty years in 
his person and could not be traced till after his death. It was then ex- 
tracted, and found flattened out to the diameter of near an inch, by striking 
the thigh bone; it was almost entirely covered with a white ossified sub- 
stance. This bullet is still a relic of 1777 in possession of our family. 
Such a fearful wound, of course, put a stop to his further personal parti- 
cipation in the fight, and threw him on his back behind the mouldering 
log. Notwithstanding the agony he suffered now, his country was still 
uppermost in his thoughts, and perceiving the consternation of the men 
round him at his fall he called out: *' Don't mind me, my brave fellows, 
leave me and charge the enemy, Charge ! charge ! I say," The soldier's 



Legacy of IltsTORicAL Gleanings. 68 

mandate was obeyed, and for two lull hours, without a leader, did these 
ill-luuiid and undisciplined yeomanry, of five hundred nicn wlio were en- 
tirely mustered on the Van Kenss^elaer manor, maintain their advantaf!;e 
over some of the finest troops of Great Britain. The stand taken by them 
held Bur^-oyne in check an entire day, and enabled Gen. Schuyler to re- 
move artillery and stores from Fort George, strengthen his position ou 
Bemis's heights and gain invaluable time. This memorable action has 
never occupied the place in the history of that war which its importance 
entitles it to. It occurred a short time pjrevious to the great battle which 
resulted in the defeat and surrender of Burgoyne, on the heights of Sara- 
toga, and was swallowed up and forgotten in the superior brilliance and 
importance of that decisive conflict. It was maintained for an entire day 
by a force of about 1000 men against an advanced brigade of Burgoyne's 
army, and was a series of desperate and bloody skirmishes. Fort Ann 
in Washington county was, indeed, an honored field for the preliminary 
skirmishes and engagements between the contending armies before the 
final yielding. It was fought by order of General Schuyler who felt the 
importance of checking the enemy's advance at that point and gave direc- 
tions to defend Fort Ann. There were large supplies intended for our 
army at Ticonderoga and Fort George, where they had been detained in 
consequence of hearing of the investment by land and water of our works 
on Lake Champlain ; and to favor the design of the detachment of wagons, 
&c., sent to remove those supplies back to Fort Edward, Gen. Schuyler 
despatched Col. Henry K. Van Rensselaer to Fort Ann to collect militia 
and oppose the British who were in pursuit of Col. Long's scattered com- 
mand. It was in consequence of this, that the battle with the 9th regi- 
ment under Col. Hill took place. 

The action on the 8th was a very close and severe engagement with 
a very unequal force, the Americans made an honorable defense and 
finally a secure retreat, though not till after the ammunition gave out. 
But it nearly cost the brave Van Rensselaer his life; so close and despe- 
rate was the encounter that he lay many hours after he fell, within hear- 
ing of the groans of Col. Armstrong of the British army, who was also 
badly injured. Many of the wounded enemy were left to our mercy, 
among whom was " Capt. Montgomery (brother-in-law to Lord Towiisend), 
of Hill's regiment, a very gallant officer, who was severely wounded early 
in the action, and taken prisoner with the surgeon, as he was dressing his 
vfoundj which happened as the regiment was changing its position. 
This extract from an English work {Lieut. Anbury^ Travels through the 
interior of America in a series of letters by an officer), is substantially 
the same as that of Gen. Burgoyne upon the same subject, and may be 
considered as an indirect admission by the enemy of their discomfiture. 
But as it was the first check their hitherto resistless progress had met 
with, they were loath to acknowledge it in plainer terms, and the subse- 
quent retreat of our men to Fort Edward, where Gen. Schuyler held his 
head quarters, gave them an apology for a claim to victory. The follow- 
ing extract of the examination of Captain Mooney, depy. quarter master 
of the British army, before the committee of the house of commons to 
investigate the causes of Gen. Burgoyne's failure, indicates the real 
opinion of the English officers in relation to the conduct of our men on 
this occasion : Question. "' Was you present at the action of the 19th of 
September ? " Ans. '' I was." Question. " Did the enemy dispute the 
field that day with obstinacy ?" Ans. " They did, and the fire was much 



CA Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

lieavier than I ever saw it any where unless at the offoif of Fori Ami." 
(icn l^urc'oyne previous to leaving England '' h;id vauntingly declared in 
the ]>ritish parliament tliat his army (which had one of the best trains of 
artillery ever seen in America) should be led by him from Maine to 
Georgia, and that he would make an easy conquest of the whole colony of 
JNew York." The gallant leader at Fort Ann refused every proffer of 
assistance after receiving his wound, and persisted in the advance of all 
his men after the retiring foe. In consequence he was soon left alone ; 
but his anxiety to calculate the result of the onset, induced him ever and 
anon to brave the pangs of a movement to overlook the obstructing log. 
When satisfied by the still receding noise of contention, he sought again 
his more comfortable position on the level earth. At the expiration of 
those seemingly unending hours, the noise was but indistinctly heard afar 
off", when the sound of approaching footsteps among the rustling leaves, 
drew him once more to a reconnoiteriug attitude, and he found it occa- 
sioned by a young rustic, whose soiled garments, together with sundry 
circular impressions upon his lips, evidently made from a foul gun barrel, 
proclaimed him late from the scene of action. Whether his prowess had 
been exerted in favor of king or I'ebel was not known to the colonel. 
To ascertain it he hailed him. "Who comes there?" "Holloa!" 
ejaculated the startled youth, and catching a glimpse of the head from 
which the unexpected demand had issued, and of the fusee in the act of 
being levelled at him over the log, he quickly made an oblique spring and 
was safely ensconced behind the projecting trunk of a neighboring tree. 
Here the instinctive operation of loading his piece was speedily performed, 
when feeling and expressing himself " on a footing" with his supposed 
antagonist he declared himself " a continental soldier," and asked " who 
the devil are you ? " "I am Colonel Van Rensselaer," was the reply, 
upon which the brave fellow left his hiding place and soon collected a i'ew 
of his comrades with whose assistance he bore the drooping cripple to the 
fort. In his latter days, the colonel often mentioned the manly conduct 
of this soldier with pleasure. At Fort Ann, Col. V. R's wound was 
hastily dressed, and as the evacuation of the post was decided upon, he 
was again raised upon the shoulders of his devoted men and borne fifteen 
miles to Fort Edward, from whence he was put on a boat, with Capt. 
Montgomery and another prisoner of war, and floated down to Albany, 
He was too ill to be taken to his residence at Greenbush, so both the 
wounded officers in the same dwelling submitted the task of healing their 
wounds to the skillful hands of Dr. Samuel Stringer (surgeon general of 
the forces under Gen. Schuyler and a man of great eminence in the medi- 
cal profession, and ramked among the first piactitioners of his day, who 
died in 1818). That of Capt Montgomery assumed a favorable aspect, 
and maugre his boding prediction, that our " sharp shooters had ruined 
his d — d fine legs," he was soon in condition to accept the invitation from 
his kinsman's relict (the widow of General Richard Montgomery) and 
left the city to pay her a visit at Rhinebeck on the Hudson river. The 
citizens of Albany were in momentary expectation of Burgoyne's ap. 
proach; all who could leave, fled from the city. Colonel Van Rensse- 
laer's younger brother, Philip, commissary of military stores, kept a 
sloop at the dock, prepared to remove his suffering relative at the slightest 
alarm. The colonel's case long bid defiance to all the arts of surgery. 
The position of the ball rendered its extraction impossible without a 
manifest danger to his life, and the fragments of clothing which had 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 65 

been foreofi in with it, kept it a sore filled with maggots as the wound 
was in a most nauseous state. However, what with unremitting care and a 
rugged constitution, he surmounted in a measure the danger, though he 
was not again in condition for active military duty while the war lasted. 
In his subsequent life he was often called by the suffrages of his fellow 
citizens to represent them in the state legislature, and to fill several other 
responsible offices; but he always suffered more or less from the effects of 
his wound. Several times it broke out in all its pristine offensiveuess 
and on September 9, 1816, eventually bore him to his grave at the age of 
72 years. 

Fierce indignation was aroused in every true heart, at the murder of 
Jane McCrea at Fort Edward on July 27, 1777. The young lady was 
engaged to a young officer, David Jones, in J3urgoyne's array. She was 
killed and scalped by a party of Indians and when they arrived at the 
British camp the long, glossy hair of Jenny was immediately recognized. 
She was then about twenty years old, and a lovely girl. 

The evacuation of Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, without 
efforts at defense, occasioned the greatest surprise and alarm ; it was loudly 
condemned throughout the country, and brought down a storm of indignant 
abuse upon the Generals St. Clair and Schuyler, for much of the respons- 
ibility was laid upon the latter, because he was the commander-in-chief of 
the northern department. This disaster gave to our cause a dark and 
gloomy aspect. A ridiculous story was industriously reported and re- 
ceived too much credence, that Generals Schuyler and St. Clair acted the 
part, of traitors to their country, and that they were paid for their treason 
by the enemy in silver halls, shot from Burgoyne's guns into our camp, 
and that they were collected by order of General St. Clair, and divided 
between him and General Schuyler. General Washington was perplexed, 
and congress suspended St. Clair from command, and appointed Adjutant 
General Gates to supersede General Schuyler. The Albanians were seized 
with a panic, the people ran about as if distracted, and seat off their goods 
and furniture. The actions of the 19th of September and October 7, 
1777, are well known to have been decisive of the fate of Gen. Burgoyne's 
proud army. The latter took place at Bemis's heights, between Stillwater 
and Saratoga. It is supposed to be the hardest fought battle, and the most 
honorable to our army since the commencement of hostilities. The enemy 
was completely repulsed in every quarter ; then the brave Gen. Frazer 
fell as also many other officers of high standing. Gen. Frazer was carried 
to the quarters of Baroness Riedesel who was expecting guests to dinner. 
Before his death, he requested, if General Burgoyne would permit it, 
he should like to be buried at 6 o'clock in the evening on the top of a 
mountain, in a great redoubt which had been built there. About sunset 
the corpse was carried up the hill by the officers of his own corps and 
passed in view of both armies. Generals Burgoyne, Phillips and Riedesel 
placed themselves in the humble procession. According to the statement 
of the adjutant general, Col. Kingston, before the committee above men- 
tioned, the loss of the 20th, 28th, and 62d regiments alone was 500 or 
more, out of llOOmen who marched into the bloody field. The 62dsuffered 
more than any other, it brought off only 50 or 60 effective men out of 
about 340. Yet Capt. Mooney, who was actively engaged in the action of 
Fort Ann and Bemis's heights, declares that the former was the more severe 
of the two. It proved, at all events, of a most beneficial tendency to our 

9 



C)G Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

cause. The illusion of the inviucibleness of our invaders was dissipated. 
Panic gave way to confidence, and every succeeding battle in the North 
strengthened it to such a degree that the vaunting Burgoyne was event- 
ually compelled to yield to its effects on the field of Saratoga. The 
battle of Saratoga is universally acknowledged to have been one of the 
seven great decisive battles in the history of the world. The defeat of 
Eurgoyne settled the question of the existence of this republic. The 
resuk of the revolutionary war depended upon that day, and that day 
was won by the valor of the Continental army. That field belonged to 
the whole nation, we all gloried in it ; here the British lion got down 
on his knees before the American eagle. Gen. Burgoyne died Aug. 4, 
1792. The following anecdote was told by Jacob Van Alstyne, who was 
at the taking of Burgoyne. He was then adjutant of a regiment of 
Rensselaer county militia, under Col. Stephen J. Schuyler. Lieut. Col. 
Henry K. Van Kensselaer acted in the two-fold capacity of adjutant and 
quarter-master. Col. Schuyler was a brother of Gen. Philip Schuyler, 
and having the oldest commission among the colonels on that station, he 
acted as brigadier general in the latter part of the campaign. A German, 
named John Tillman, a portly gentleman who resided at Albany after the 
war, acted as German interpreter for General Gates, and was requested 
by the latter to select a proper person to go into the British camp as a 
sp?/, the object of whose mission was to circulate letters among the Hes- 
sian soldiers, to induce them to desert, and to bring on an engagement in 
such a manner as Gates desired. Tillman selected Christopher Fisher, a 
private in Col. Schuyler's regiment, a shrewd fellow and always ready 
with an answer to any question that might be asked him ; he was a witty 
man, true as steel. Never at a loss for a reply, be it question, fun, or 
joke, his flashes back would come with jolly good cheer, for he was brim- 
ful of good nature and well educated. Fisher being well acquainted with 
Van Alstyne, visited him to ask his advice in the hazardous undertaking, 
naming the reward offered. The latter told him what the consequence 
would be if he was detected, but declined giving counsel. " Well, " said 
Fisher, " if you will not advise me how to proceed, then I must acton my 
own judgment ;" so saying, he took his leave of Van Alstyne, who thought 
but little more of the matter until after the battle. While in his tent after 
the engagement, Fisher entered and showed him a purse of gold and his 
discharge from the service. Van Alstyne then desired to know how he 
had proceeded. Fisher stated that on the day appointed, he approached 
the enemy's picket with a sheep upon his back, which had been killed for 
the occasion. He was hailed by the guard, who demanded of him his 
residence and the object of his visit. Fisher replied, that he lived a few 
miles back in the country, " that the d — d Yankees had destroyed all his 
property but (me sheep, which he had killed, and was then taking to his 
friends." On hearing this reply, the sentinel treated him kindly, and de- 
livered him over to an officer with a favorable report. In the British 
camp, he was asked by a superior officer, what proof he could give that 
he was not deceiving. Said Fisher, " the rehels are preparing to give you 
battle, and if you will go with me, I will convince you of its truth." The 
officer followed Fisher to a certain place, from which was visible a wood. 
Here had been stationed, agreeable to the order of Gen. Gates, a body of 
Col. Morgan's rifle corps, who were to exhibit themselves in a stealthy 
manner. The riflemen wore frocks and were easily distinguished, " There 
there," says Fisher, " don't you see them devils of Morgan's dodging about 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 67 

among the trees ? " And sure enough, as fast as the spy directed his vision 
the British officer could see the moving frocks of the American riflemen. 
When urged to enlist into the British service, Fisher pretended an aver- 
sion to war, pleading also the necessity of returning home to protect his 
family against the rebels. He was allowed to leave the camp when he 
chose, and embraced the opportunity while the armies were engaged. He 
was, however, admitted into communion as a genuine royalist, and being 
allowed to mingle for several hours with those who spoke German, he 
discharged the duties of his perilous mission to the satisfaction of General 
Gates. A party of British troops were sent to dislodge the riflemen 
pointed out by Fisher, a general engagement followed with success to the 
Americans. The spy executed faithfully the principal object of his 
hazardous enterprise, and many of those Hessian soldiers deserted the 
British service in that campaign, and either entered the x\merican service, 
or became good citizens of New York. Mr. Van Alstyne died in May 
1844, aged nearly ninety-five years. 

The interview between Gen. Gates and Gen. Burgoyne, on the field of 
surrender, was very interesting when, in the presence of the two armies, 
Burgoyne drew his sword and presented it to General Gates. Not 
wishing to aggravate the painful feelings of the royal troops Gen. Gates 
would not permit the American soldiery to witness the degrading act of 
piling their arms and artillery at the place assigned, at the command of 
their own officers. As this was completed the British army filed oflp and 
took up their line of march for Boston to embark for England. The sur- 
render took place near the spot where the elegant country seat of General 
Schuyler had been so wantonly demolished. Baroness Riedesel with 
her three children were politely accommodated in his own tent, and in- 
vited by Gen. Schuyler to become his guests at his residence at Albany. 
When Col. Nicholas Van Rensselaer, (who was deputed to convey the 
official intelligence of " the surrender of Burgoyne to Gen. Gates, which 
took place after the other British enterprises in New York had proved 
abortive") reached Albany, he found the inhabitants were waiting 
with intense anxiety the fate of the battle (having chattels packed and 
they ready for an exodus). As his horse constantly felt the prick of 
the spurs he went flying through the city, while the brave officer cried 
aloud the cheering words " Burgoyne is taken and we are victorious." 
The scene was an enthusiastic one ; the people flocking in throngs, almost 
drawing him from the horse's back eager to hear a confirmation of the 
glorious news, it diffused joy and gladness not only there, but throughout 
the union. In Albany the event was celebrated with much display. 
An ox was roasted whole for the occasion. A pole passing through it 
and resting on crotches served as a spit, while a pair of cart-wheels at the 
ends of the pole were used to turn it. A hole was dug in the ground, in 
which, beneath the ox, a fire was made. While cooking, several pails of 
salt-water were at hand, to be applied with swabs to keep the meat from 
burning. When roasted it was drawn through the principal streets, and 
the patriotic secured a good slice. A constant roar of artillery was kep^ 
up during the day. 

" The aged met with joy of heart, 

The youthful met with glee ; 
While little children played their part, 

The happiest of the three." 



68 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

In the evening almost every dwelling in the city was illuaiinated. 
A large pyramid of pine fagots which had been collected for the occasion, 
in the centre of which stood a liberty-pole supporting on its top a barrel 
of tar, was set on fire on Pinkster hill, whereon the state Capitol now 
reposes, near the city early in the evening. When the fire reached the 
tar, it not only illuminated every part of the city, but sent its ominous 
Jight for many miles around, presenting a most imposing effect. The 
capture of Burgoyne and his army inspired Americans with confidence as 
to their final triumph. In the severe battle of the 7th of October, Gen. 
Burgoyne himself, had a hair-breadth escape, having one bullet pass 
through his hat and another tore his waistcoat. At one time a part of 
General Gates's army was exposed to imminent danger. He had re- 
ceived what he supposed to be certain intelligence that the main body of 
Burgoyne's army had marched off" for Fort Edward, and that a rear guard 
only was left in the camp. On this it was concluded to advance and 
attack the camp in half an hour; unknown to the Americans, Burgoyne 
had a line foru)ed behind a parcel of brushwood to support the post of 
artillery where the attack was to be made. A British soldier, a deserter, 
communicated the very important fact, that the whole British army were 
in their encampment. Gen. Wilkinson too, discovered the British at their 
post, through a thick fog while his horse halted to drink in fording the 
creek, and he instantly arrested the march of our troops. The intelligence 
was conveyed to General Gates, who countermanded his orders for the 
assault, and called back his troops and thereby saved them from destruc- 
tion, but they sustained some loss from the British artillery. It is known 
that Burgoyne frequently expressed his extreme disappointment that 
he was baffled in this stratagem and Americans should be most thankful. 

Fort Edward, in Camp 8th July 1777. 
Eeceived of Capt. Huyck 283 Bullets Received By me 

John C. Ten Broeck, of the Continental Troops. 

In October, 1777, Sir Henry Clinton with the British fleet proceeded 
up the Hudson to Kingston intending to cut his way through and join 
Burgoyne at Saratoga, which fortunately was frustrated by Burgoyne's 
surrender. While at Kingston or Esopus he demolished the place and 
burned almost every house ; among which was the fine family residence, 
dear Hattie, of your paternal grandfather, Peter E. Elmendorf, then a lad 
of 12 years. 

Saratoga 19 April 1777. 
Eec^'. from Mr. John Joans Fifteen Hundred & fifteen Oars for the 
Service of the United States of America. 

Eph™ Van Veghten, Asst. D.Q.M. General. 

John Tyson to Governor Lewis. 

Peekskill, April 23rd 1777. 

Sir: The Bearer Mr. Israel Levano has 15 Cwt. of Round Shot, sent 
here by Order of General Knox of the Artillery, & by his desire forwarded 
to Albany. As we don't know who is the Commissary of Ordnance with 
you, have addressed it to you k, beg you will put it in the proper Channel. 
On behalf of W. Hughs I). Q. M. i ^^ gj^ Your hble. Servt. 

Morgan Lewis, Esq. Jno. Tyson. 



. Legacy of IIistoiiical Gleanings. 69 

Invoice of Ordnance Stores Sent to Albany to be from there forwarded 
With all possible Dispatch to the Oon'''^ Maj"^ Genl Sciiuyler July 10th, 
15th. & 16th for the Sundry Teamsters as pr Duplicate ileceipts for 
1777, viz : [The list was too long to be of benefit in this book.] 

Stillwater August Gth 1777. 
Received into the Public Store of Captain Conrod Cline of Colonel 
Livingstons Regiment of Militia 4 muskets & 5 Cartridge Boxes. 

Jaspl" Maud'^' Gidley, Conduct. 

Teunis Ts Van Vecliten to Pliilip Van Rensselaer. 

Sir : Albany Sept^ 12th 1777. 

Deliver the Rearer fifty Bushels of peas, for the use of General 
Schuyler's Family. -^^ order of Genl. Schuyler. 

John Lansing Jun Secy. 
Please to deliver the above. 

TuENis T^ Van Vechten A.D.Q.M. GeuK 
To the D. Quarter Master General Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer. 

In August, 1777, Col. Peter Wagoner, of the county of Montgomery, 
held a commend under Gen. Herkimer and Col. Frederick Visscher in 
the battle for the relief of Fort Stanwix. After the first detachment of 
our militia were checked and their commander severely wounded, it was 
found necessary to change the plan of action. Accordingly our forces were 
ordered to fall back and to form a circle divided by a deep bushy ravine, 
to prevent the savages from taking advantage of the foggy weather to attack 
them in the rear. The garrison of the fort, by a previous understanding, 
were to have sallied out, and to have thereby created a diversion in favor 
of the relieving party upon hearing the first shot, but the distance from 
the fort, of the action, i-endered it impossible for the garrison to hear the 
firing and the enemy rightly supposing that Gen. Herkimer's object was 
to relieve the fort, sent a detachment round to our rear who in coming 
up towards Col. Wagoner, pretended that they actually were the garrison 
relieved and continued cheering the colonel's men. The colonel deceived 
by their cries stepping out of his ranks to greet his supposed friends, 
was seized by them and undeceived in finding himself drawn a prisoner 
within their three-fold lines ; but nothing daunted by his dangerous situa- 
tion, he called out to his men in German, his mother tongue : " It is the 
enemy, boys, don't mind me, but fire like thunder." The order was 
promptly obeyed and the enemy, seeing their design frustrated by the 
determination of their prisoner and seeing their first three officers, Major 
Watts, Capt. Hare killed, and Lieut. Shingleton wounded, they turned 
and fled without firing a gun. The gallant Wagoner not only escaped 
the fire of his own men, but escaped from his captors, who made no other 
attempt after but soon retreated. Their camp, baggage, provisions, with 
five colors were taken by Lieut. Col. Willett with a party of 200 from the 
fort, who had accidentally discovered through their spies the defenceless 
state of the enemy's camp. Shingleton was severely wounded and carried 
to Schenectady where he remained many months upon parole, but when 
sufficiently recovered, he broke that and ran off' with some tories. Major 
Watts was wounded through the leg by a ball, and in the neck by a thrust 
from a bayonet which passed through back of the windpipe and occasioned 



70 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. ^ 

such an effusion of blood as to induce not only liim, but his captors to 
suppose (after leading him two or three miles) that he must die in conse- 
quence. He bejrged his captors to kill him, they refused and left him 
by the side of a stream under the shade of a bridge, where he was found 
two days subsequently covered with fly-blows, but still alive. He was 
borne by some Indians to Schenectady where he remained until sufficiently 
recovered to endure a voyage to England, where he was often after seen 
limping about Chelsea hospital. The sash taken from him is still in pos- 
session of the Sanders family. It was about this time that Col. Wemple 
of Schenectady having ascertained that a large force of refugees and tories 
had collected at Beaver dam, for the purpose of destroying Albany or 
Schenectady in the absence of the militia who had been sent oft to relieve 
Fort Stanwix, collected the exemj^ts, seventy in number, and a body 
of New England troops forty strong, and falling upon them by surprise 
efi'ectually routed and dispersed them though their force, to his, was as 
four to one. Another time a similar band, who had long been a terror to 
the inhabitants by their reckless depredation and marauding propensities, 
after robbing the taverns and other dwellings on the turnpike between 
Albany and Schenectady, drank such a large quantity of liquor at the 
halfway house, that they were compelled to retire into the pine bushes, 
a short distance, where after stationing a sentrj^ they fell asleep. One of 
the inmates of the tavern escaped from the window destitute of clothing, 
save his shirt, carried the word to Dorp, when the good burgers with 
patriotic ardor traced the plunderers by their tracks in the sand. The 
plunder was all recovered and the marauders most severaly punished. 
The object of the expedition was far from being accomplished by St. 
Lcger, notwithstanding General Herkimer fell into the ambuscade, and 
soon after died of his wounds. The commander did not, however, despair 
of getting possession of Fort Stanwix ; for this purpose he sent in a flag 
demanding a surrender. Colonel Gansevoort nobly replied in the negative, 
being determined to defend the fort at every hazard. Aware, however, 
of his perilous situation he found means of sending to General Schuyler 
at Stillwater for assistance. General Arnold was now dispatched with a 
brigade of troops to attack the besiegers. On his way he captured a 
notorious tory spy, Han Yost Schuyler, whom he sentenced to be hung. 
The friends of the tory applied to Arnold to spare his life. He was in- 
exorable, but was prevailed upon by Major Brooks to use the tory for 
their advantage. If he failed in the plan proposed, his brother, who had 
consented to remain as a hostage, was to grace the same noose which 
had been prepared for Han Yost. The life of his brother held Han 
Yost true to his pledge. Several of the Oneida Indians of his acquaint- 
ance, fell in with and readily engaged in furthering his design. Han 
Yost was acquainted with many of St. Leger's Indians, and on arriving 
at their camp told a sad story of his capture and escape. When asked 
as to the number of men Arnold had, he shook his head mysteriously 
and pointed to the leaves of the trees. Soon one of the Oneidas in the 
secret arrived, presently another dropping into the camp as if by accident 
spoke of the great numbers of warriors marching against them. Alarm 
and consternation pervaded the whole body and they resolved on imme- 
diate flight. The Oneida Indian had a spice of the wag in his composi- 
tion, for he followed in the rear and occasionally raised the ci*y. " Thei/ 
ureromiiuj ! tliey are coininj ! " Han Yost soon gave General Gansevoort 
the intelligence of the approach of Gen. Arnold's command and all were 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 71 

saved. Col. Willctt had an elegant sword given to him by congress for 
his gallant- acts." 

Daniel Ilalc to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir. Fish Kill, 4 November, 1778. 

By the accounts daily Circulating from New York there is great Ex- 
pectations of the P]nemy leaving the City. I cannot Say that I am fully 
Convinced it will take place but there is a probability of it. 

You will please to think of the two pair of Pistols you was Kind 
Enough to promise me for myself and Colo. Hay, who has requested of me 
to write to you to know whether that business was determined on which 
you mentioned to him as the Season advances and what that Gentleman's 
opinion was, or now is, whom you was to Consult. 

I am Dear Sir, with Esteem, Your friend & Servt. 

Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq. 

April 12, 1779, Philip Van Rensselaer to William Sheldon. 

To 4 waggons & horses coming from Sheffield to Green Bush Dr. 

ferry to remove the public Stores from Albany to a place of 

Safety each 4 days at 12s. pr. day, £9: 12: 0: 

By order of Commanding Officer. 

Brandt Van Hook To Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Sir : Fish Kill, May 21st, 1779. 

Inclosed you have an Invoice of Musket Ball to make up the Quantity 
Intended to be forwarded from this Fort to Albany. Col. Van Rensse- 
laer will be pleased to send a receipt for the same under cover of a few 
Lines to Jno, Ruddock, Esq., by the first Opportunity which shall Occur. 
I am Sir, Your Huble Servt. 

Brandt Van Hook, U. S. Clk. 

" Invoice of Musket Ball Sent to P. Van Rensselaer, Esq., Public 
Store Keeper at Albany by Order of General Knox (viz.) : 

^^ cwt qr. lb. 

38 Boxes of New Musket Ball Weighing, 32: 1: 24: 

TareofBoxes, 2: 0: 4: 

Total Weight Gross, 30: 1: 20: 

The catastrophe at Lexington, April 18, 1775, was the grand impetus 
to every active measure taken throughout the country in the cause of in- 
dependence. Great zeal and military ardor was manifested by the meet- 
ing of companies of militia in every section to receive those lessons so 
necessary to enable them to resist successfully a well disciplined foe on the 
field of battle. The adherents of the king, George III, sought to break 
up such meetings. At Caughnawaga, Captain Frederick Visscher, when 
in the act of exercising his company, saw Sir John Johnson (son of Sir 
William Johnson), the king's magistrate come rattling on the parade 
ground with his gay equipage and drive directly in front of the men 
where he stopped and demanded " By whose orders are these men assembled 
here ? " The captain instantly replied, " By mine." " Well, sir, I command 
you in the name of the king to disperse immediately." "I will not disperse 
them, sir," was the undaunted reply. This so enraged the fiery knight 



72 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

that he drew his pistols, and leveling them at the captain, he declared 
that if he did not •' disperse the d — d rebels, I will blow your brains out." 
The words were scarcely out of Sir John's mouth, before he saw one of 
the men bring over his gun and take deliberate aim at him. The ex- 
ample was followed by all the rest, when, not willing to risk the threatened 
consequence of shooting the captain. Sir John put up his pistols and rode 
out of the field muttering " curses upon the contumacious rebels." The 
spirit there developed caused him very shortly after to leave his ill-gotteu 
possessions and to abandon such a dangerous neighborhood. Capt. 
Visscher's promotion after this was rapid, so was that of every officer of 
merit in those times. The panic occasioned among our exposed frontier 
inhabitants subsequently, in consequence of Gen. Burgoyne's signal suc- 
cess from Canada at the beginning of his expedition, together with a well 
founded apprehension of an attack from his ferocious Indian allies, induced 
many to send their families to a place of better security than that afforded 
by their own dwellings. Others, from whatever cause, more dilatory than 
the rest, were destined to quaff deeply from that bitter cup of affliction so 
incidental to barbarian warfare. The recollections of some such instances 
weighed upon the hearts of the few surviving participators like an incubus, 
and their narrations were truly well calculated to excite the most thrilling 
interest. Colonel Frederick Visscher, of Caughnawaga, was second in 
command of the expedition sent for the relief of Fort Stanwix (or Fort 
Schuyler where the village of Rome now stands), against St. Leger and 
Sir John Johnson. When the gallant but ill-fated Gen. Herkimer fell, 
the command devolved upon him, and the success with which he brought 
off the remnant of his force from that disastrous field proved him possessed 
of as much military talent as of energy. Subsequently, having received 
tidings of the enemy's career, immediately dispatched his wife and children 
to Schenectady, and while occupied with arrrangements for the removal 
of his mother and two sisters, his mansion was attacked in the night by 
about a dozen savages. They were greeted, however, with .«o warm a fire 
from the colonel and his two brothers, that they were obliged to retreat as 
suddenly as they had made the assault. At dawn of day they returned again 
with an overwhelming reinforcement and breaking through every barrier 
drove the family before them from room to room, and from floor to floor, 
until they reached the garret, where they closed with the gallant brothers. 
In the desperate struggle which then ensued the ladies made an attempt 
to escape down the darksome stairway. The mother being intercepted 
by an Indian was soon knocked down senseless with a heavy blow from the 
butt end of his fire-lock, while the two young ladies without hindrance 
gained the door yard. There one of them was seized by a " huge painted 
Indian " who after tearing the bonnet from her head, and the shawl from 
her shoulders, uttered in a smothered tone the single word, marchez, 
and released her. Of course she required no further bidding, but thank- 
ful for the unexpected permission bounded off and secreted herself in an 
oven near the dwelling. Her flying sister escaped to the willow shaded 
rivulet in the adjoining meadow, where, concealed by the thick foliage, 
they shortly after, each from her respective hiding place, saw the savages 
issuing in a body from the house, A solitary one reentered immediately 
and after a short interval returned to his compunions, when all tramped 
off together in a north-easterly direction up the deep, rocky ravine, which 
not yet ceased to reverberate with their tremendous whoops of exultation 
when the sisters saw that the mansion was in flames, and then every rem- 



LEGy\cY OF Historical Gleanings. 73 

nant of hope for the existence of mother or brothers vanished from their 
bosoms. 

In the unequal conflict on the garret Col. Visscher fell under two 
severe tomahawk blows, and while lying in a state of torpidity was divested 
of his scalp. (The Indian mode of scalping their victims is this : with 
a knife they make a circular cut from the forehead, quite round, just 
above the ears, then taking hold of the skin with their teeth, they tear off 
the whole hairy scalp in an instant, with wonderful dexterity. This they 
carefully dry and preserve as a trophy.) Notwithstanding the severity 
of his various wounds he became quickly sensible again of his own pre- 
dicament and of the continued proximity of his enemies, and determined 
to deceive them with a semblance of that death which they supposed to 
have been inflicted upon him. At first he was successful and had the 
satisfaction of hearing them descend into the lower part of the house. 
Anxiety to ascertain the fate of his brothers induced him to rise 
upon his elbow, but the sound of footsteps caused him once more to seek 
his former position. This motion, owing to his feeble condition, came 
near being conducive to a fatal end. It had the eff"ect of exciting such a 
degree of nervous irritability that he had no further control over his 
frame, and the monster who came to assure himself that the bloody work 
was complete, attracted by the twitching, hastened to put a stop to it 
by cutting the sufferer's throat. For this purpose he drew a knife twice 
across it, and seeing the red bandanna, inward neckcloth, through the 
severed folds of the black silk outer one, he went off rejoicing in the 
imagined accomplishment of his infernal design. The colonel, however, 
having received no other injury from this last attempt upon his life, than 
one or two unimportant flesh wounds, was soon aware, by the receding 
whoops, of the departure of the savages ; and knowing by the increasing 
volumes of smoke that the house was on fire, resolved to escape if possible. 
Ilising up from his bed of gore he perceived one brother dead near to him, 
the other leaped from a window but was killed and scalped. To drag tli^e 
corpse out of the reach of the flames was a task of immense difficulty but 
he executed it, as also the rescue of his disabled but living mother ; but 
his incredible exertions and loss of blood caused him to faint. The chair, 
in which Mrs. Visscher was seated, when drawn out the house was on fire, 
it was preserved as a sacred relic. The two murdered brothers, with Col. 
Visscher, his mother and two sisters, were taken in a boat to Schenectady, 
where the mother and the colonel were eventually restored to health. 
Many years after this tragical event two of the identical Indians engaged 
in it, while traveling with a party of warriors to Albany having under- 
stood that Col. Visscher had survived his wounds, would not believe it; 
one said he had both scalped and cut his throat ; they wanted to see him. 
Col. Visscher could with difficulty be restrained, he wished to sacrifice 
the wretches. An intimation was given them of the intention and they 
wisely departed never to return to these scenes. Colonel Visscher was 
(in 1787) appointed by Gov. George Clinton first judge of Montgomery 
county. He died June 9, 1809 from a complaint in the head caused by 
the loss of his scalp. His widow, whose maiden name was Gazena De 
Graff, died in 1815. 

Herman Visscher, son of Col. Frederick, was safe in Schenectady with 
his mother at the time these terrific " scenes were enacted at the old re- 
sidence about three miles east of Fonda, on the north side of and near the 
10 



74 Legacy of IIistouical Gleanings. 

Mohawk river, and close by where the New York Central rail road now 
runs." The faithful black slave who brought water in his hat from a 
creek for Col. Visscher and carried the stricken household to Schenectady, 
had a handsome horse and his freedom given him by the grateful colonel. 
Gazena, daughter of Herman Visscher, had been adopted by her father's 
brother when quite young at the death of her parents. She was a valued 
schoolmate and companion of myself. I was present at her marriage to 
Mr. Jesse De Grafi' of Schenectady, at the abode of her uncle, Mr. Visscher, 
on the old site. The last surviving child . Alfred De Graff, lives in a 
brick dwelling where the old homestead once stood, which was rendered 
memorable by such thrilling and harrowing events in May, 1780. This 
farm and grounds " where the tomahawk and the torch did their sad work 
of death and destruction a century ago has been in the family to the fifth 
generation, over one hundred and twenty years." 

When on a visit to my mother's sister, Mrs. Jacob S. Glen, in Mont- 
gomery county, I often saw a venerable old lady, Aunty Putman, who 
would graphically narrate the perils from the Indians in her younger 
days. Harassed by perpetual alarms night and day, in constant fear of 
hostilities, and ever dreading the sight of the Indians in their grotesque 
paint and feathers, their encroachments kept all the whites in a state of 
terrible commotion. She well remembered when Col. John Johnson in 
1780 with a party of soldiers consisting of British, tories and Indians, 
made a raid through that country, killing, burning and pillaging ; she 
recalled how the men never neglected taking their guns to church, or the 
field, with them ; not daring to venture out to any distance for fear of an 
ambuscade ; constantly on the alert regarding the treachery of the Indians, 
or their creeping up stealthily to tomahawk some unfortunate individual 
who had ventured too far away from the forts. Many a tale of suffering and 
privation she would most eloquently recount. This old lady was Margaret, 
sister of Col. Frederick Visscher ; she had four husbands, the last one was 
Victor Putman ; she survived her husband many years, and died at old 
Caughnawaga, Her fears were awfully realized at last in 1780 on May 
20th at Tribes hill, part of Caughnawaga, when barns and houses were 
burned and people scalped in the march of these savages and tories from 
Johnstown all along the valley of the Mohawk. The inhabitants, unsus- 
picious of danger, were buried in sleep at midnight when the Indians ap- 
proached in great numbers, entered the house of Capt. Garret Putman with 
horrid yells, intending to murder the entire family, but fortunately all were 
absent ; the people occupying the house were killed ; many of her own 
loved neighbors were instantly slain and scalped. About the same time 
her mother's house was assaulted. She was then a young girl living with 
her mother and sister Rebecca together with two brothers, her brother 
Frederick's family being safe from all trouble in Schenectady, he was 
staying with them. After her wonderful escape from the Indian she 
secreted herself in a large Dutch oven, built a short distance from the 
house, where with the most indescribable agony she could hear the wild 
yells of demoniac triumph, and knew her own '' loved ones" were the un- 
fortunate victims. 

General Washington, while at Albany in the summer of 1782, was 
invited by the citizens to visit Schenectady (over-the-pines). He ac- 
cepted the invitation, and in company with Gen. Schuyler, rode there in 
a^carriage from Albany on the 30th of June; where he was received with 
no little formality by the civil and military authorities and escorted some 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 75 

distance by a numerous procession, in which he walked with his hat under 
his arm. Abraham Clinch, who came to America as drum-major under 
Gen. Braddock, then kept a tavern in Schenectady and at his house a pub- 
lic dinner was given. Having previously heard of his sufferings, one of 
the first persons Washington inquired after was Colonel Frederick Visscher, 
who was then residing in the place. He expressed much surprise that the 
colonel had not been invited to meet him, and agreeable to his request a 
messenger was sent for him. He was a man of real merit, but modest 
and retiring in his habits. On this occasion, he was found at work in his 
barn, which, under the circumstances, he left with reluctance, but was 
kindly greeted by the illustrious guest who paid him marked attention. 
At the dinner table were assembled a respectable number of gentlemen 
among whom was Gen. Schuyler. Washington assigned the seat next 
his own to Col. Visscher. This was indeed a proud day for Old Dorp. 
While Gen. Washington was walking a public street in company with a 
respectable citizen, an old negro when passing, took off his hat and bowed 
to him : the great commander immediately returned the compliment. 
Tlie citizen expressed much surprise that his companion thus noticed 
this descendant of Ishmael, observing it was not the custom of the country 
to notice slaves. " I cannot he less civil than a poor negro^" was his manly 
reply as they proceeded onward. Washington was in Schenectady on 
three different occasions, the first was a flying visit near the commence- 
ment of the war, he stayed with John Glen, Q. M. G. 

Cornelms Ray to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir : Philadelphia, Pec. 18th, 1780. 

Being apprehensive of not meeting with a private opportunity soon, I 
do myself the pleasure to pay my respects by the post; & inform you 
that the Bills you entrusted to my Care were forwarded to Mr. James 
Cuming Merchant in L'Orient, first Bills by Ship Ann, Capt. Josiah, 2nd 
by Brig. Active, and 3d by Ship Shilaly, Cap .. Holmes, exclusive of the 
Goods ordered by you for family's use. I ordered him to ship the over- 
plus in Bohea & Laval Linnens, but some arrivals having lately made Tea 
very plenty & cheap, I have this day desired my friend to ship you and 
me a larger quantity of Laval Linnens. Some China, some Steel and 
some pieces Nankeens if to be procured. I suppose the Goods, or some 
part of them will be out early in the Spring, any further directions you 
may please to send respecting them, shall be punctually complied with. 
I have had one small arrival from Amsterdam and one from L'Orient. 
Please to make my best respects to your good family and believe me with 
Esteem Dear Sir, Your most Obedt. Servt, 

Cornelius Hay. 

P. S. You may get Insurance made at 25 or 30 pr. Ct. 
Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq., Albany. 

The late war, which brought about our separation from Great Britain, 
threw our commercial affairs in great confusion. Through want of power 
in the old congress to collect a revenue for the discharge of out foreign 
and domestic debt, our credit was destroyed, and trade greatly embar- 
rassed. Before the revolution Great Britain claimed an exclusive right 
to the trade of her American colonies. The importation of dry goods, 
alone, from that country was so great that our merchants were drained of 
gold and silver by the British. 



76 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Cornelius Ray to Pliilip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir : Philadelphia, May 15, 1781 . 

I did myself the pleasure to write you last week by Col. Livingston, and 
now am to inform you of the arrival of the Ship Ann, Capt. Josiah, from 
L'Orient, but through inattention of the Capt. or carelessness in the 
Merchant, not one single Letter is come. 

Yesterday I went and looked over the freight list, and find three Chests 
of Tea with your Mark & addressed to me, which I make no doubt are 
yours, as such shall receive them, pay the freight and leave them for your 
further Orders. But I am sorry, very Sorry to acquaint you that there 
are great Grounds to believe the Ship Luzerne, Capt. Bell is taken, she 
sailed in Company with the other ship, who saw her strike her colors to 
something, whether friend or Enemy, Capt. Josiah could not tell. I think 
there is scarcely a doubt from my last Letters, that both you and myself 
have very considerable in her and I am afraid that all the Goods for your 
family's use were put on board her, though I positively ordered Mr. 
Cuming to divide them in the two Vessels. We must suspend our Judg- 
ment untill some other Vessel arrives from that place, which may be 
shortly, when I shall forward your Letters. I must refer you for our 
present Situation and News to my Uncles Letters. 

With great Regard & Esteem I am your Sincere friend, <&c., 

Mr. Philip Van Bensselaer, Albany. Corns. Ray. 

R. FrotMngImm to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Sir : New York, 4th June, 1781. 

Agreeable to General Knox's Order I send you: six doz" of port-fires, 
fifty pounds slow match, one hundred and fifty Tubes for 9 pounders ; it 
is requested you will forward them the soonest possible to Fort Schuyler. 

I am your Hum. Servant. 
Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq. I^iCHi> Frothingham, L. C>ns. 

In January, 1781, Brant was again upon the war path in the neighbor- 
hood of Fort Schuyler. The provisions were scarce and if supplies were 
not speedily obtained the post would have to be abandoned. On May 12th 
the old Fort Schuyler was destroyed by fire and flood, and was never re- 
built. 

Cornelius Ray to PJiilip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir: Philadelphia, June 17, 1781. 

Enclosed you have Acct. Sales of your three Chests of Tea. I got 6d : 
per pound more for the last chest than any have been sold. You have 
also enclosed your Acct : as lar as my present settlement will admit. I 
could not procure any luore Bills and have left a Ballance in the hands 
of Mr. Wm. Pollard, as you will sec by your Account for your further 
direction. No more of your Goods have yet arrived. I desired Mr. 
Cuming in my last letter, that if he had shipped what was ordered for 
your family's use in Capt. Bell to retieio the Shipment; hope this order 
will be agreeable. The 3d and 4th Bills I have left in the hands of our 
friend W. P. — I now embark, and of course have much to do. Make 
my best regards to your family. I most sincerely wish you and them 
every happiness. I am, Your Sincere friend. 

Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq. Corns. Ray. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 77 

Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer, the fifth patroon of 
Albany, born November 1, 1764, and graduated at Harvard University in 
1782, v?as left an orphan by the decease of his father, at a very early age, 
and of course came into the full possession of his princely estate at the age 
of twenty-one. That event was celebrated by his friends, and the tenantry 
of Kensselaerwyck, by great rejoicings, the roasting of oxen, killing of 
fatlings, and all the demonstrations of joy incident to feudal times. The 
following anecdote will serve to show the patriotism of the patroon : When 
the troops under Gen. Gates were opposing Burgoyne near Saratoga, Gen. 
Ten Broeck, who was the guardian of the patroon, then in his minority, 
visited some of his nephew's tenants near the Ilelderberg, and requested 
them to take all the provisions and grain thoy could spare (reserving a 
bare competency for their families) to the American Army. Several emp- 
tied their granaries, pork barrels, cattle-stalls, and pig-sties, and delivered 
their effects to the conmiissary department at Saratoga, not expecting any 
unusual reward for so doing. Some time after, to their surprise, the young 
patroon invited those tenants to Albany and 'presented, thcvi xoith valid 
titles to their lands. Such was one of the many acts of that good man, 
distinguished through life for his generosity and benevolence. The first 
wife of General Stephen Van Rensselaer, was Margaret, daughter of Gen- 
eral Philip Schuyler, who when a young girl rescued (at the time of an at- 
tack on the Schuyler mansion) her younger sister, afterwards wife of Major 
James Cochran of Oswego. This intrepid girl rushed down two flights 
of stairs, snatched the still sleeping infant from the cradle, and bore it off 
safely, just as a sharp tomahawk was hurled at her as she fled from the 
room ; it slightly injured her dress, within a few inches of the infant's head. 
A great deal of trouble was created for the Committee of Safety, in the 
early part of the revolutionary war by a noted tory, who, maugre every 
attempt to ensnare him, was continually lurking about the city of Albany 
in the capacity of a spy. He really appeared to possess the powers of 
ubiquity ; but wherever sought was never found. One time, when hotly 
pressed, he crawled under the old market in North Market street (Broad- 
way). Upon another, occasion, being fired at by his pursuers, in a dark 
night, when paddling from them in a canoe, he threw himself into the river, 
as if mortally wounded, and escaped by pushing his boat before him down 
the favoring current. Another " historic relic for the lover of battle fields," 
was a scene also laid in Albany, when every means were resorted to by the 
royalists to dampen the revolutionary ardor of their adversaries. They 
naturally supposed nothing would have a greater tendency to expedite the 
desirable end, than to secure the persons of the most influential rebels 
and by carrying them off to Canada, there to hold them for the purpose 
of exchange, they would have accomplished a brilliant achievement for 
the benefit of their party. Accordingly an immense reward was offered 
for the capture of such, and several parties of hostile Indians and expa- 
triated tories eagerly set out from Canada with the hope of enriching them- 
selves by seizing the Committee of Safety at Albany. In August, 1781, 
Col. Philip Van Rensselaer, one of that committee and also the commis- 
sary of military stores, having received an intimation of the design, warned 
the other members and moved his own family from his seat at Cherry 
II ill to the city. The bold attempt was made on Col. Gansevoort. Gen. 
Schuyler, who was another one of the committee, thinking that the vicin- 
ity of his residence to the city would insure its protection, did not deem 
it necessary to remove. The fancied security was, however, of little avail. 



78 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

One of the parties alluded to, in the character of friend, gained admission 
into the kitchen ; when the manner and pressing desire forthwith to see 
the general, excited the suspicions of a domestic. She, with admirable 
presence of mind, directed them to a wrong room for the object of their 
search, and then ran to the right one to inform him of his jeopardy. Dart- 
ing through a secret slide in the wainscot work, the general gained an 
upper room and fastened hiaiself in. The firing of his guns of distress, 
brought the citizens quickly to his rescue. 

Cojyy of a llcturn Delivered to Maj. Qenl. Lord Sterling. 

24th October 1781, of Small Arms &c on hand at Albany; Repaired 
Arms 203 ; do, repairable 24-15 ; do, irrepairable 1225; repaired Bayonets 
SOo; do repairable 581 ; do irrepairable 831 ; W' of powder 500, w^ of 
Musket Ball 400; Flints 3000; Tubes 61G; French Spungcs for 4 
pounders la ; w' of Slow Match 87 ; Morter Beds 1 ; British Bagage Wag- 
gons 25; Iron 6p'' Cannon mounted 8; do not Mounted 2; 4 p'' do not 
Mounted 2 ; Pistols irrepairable 17 ; lUieams of Musket Car : paper 4 ; 
Cannon do G ; pounds of thread 15 ; do Twine 40 ; Bayonet Scabbards & 
Belts 191 ; Port fires 60; Musket Catridges 9300. 

" The youngest daughter of Lord Stirling married Colonel William 
Duer and became the mother of William A. Duer of New York." In 
the summer of 1781 Lord Stirling was ordered to the command of the 
Northern army, and he made his head-tjuarters at Albany. Quite a large 
British force was at Ticonderoga and vicinity, under St. Leger (who was 
repulsed at Fort Stanwix in 1777) and much alarm prevailed above the 
Highlands as an invasion was expected. " The vigorous and effective 
preparations made by Lord Stirling intimidated St. Leger and he returned 
to Canada." 

State of New York to John F. Pruyn Dr. 

To my Service as Clark to Philip Van Rensselaer, Esq, the Store keeper 
of the Public Militia Stores, from the 14th June 1777 to the 1st. No- 
vember 1781 is 4 years, 9 months & 16 days : 4s. pr. day £356 : : 

Interest for 6 years at 6 p' ' 192 : 4 : 6 

£548 : 4 : 6 
I do hereby Certify that the Above Service has been performed under 
my Direction. p_ ^ ^^ Rensselaer. 

Killian K., the ytjungcst son of Col. Kiliaen Van Rensselaer and 
Ariaantio Schuyler, was born in 1763. We have before us some of his 
college letters. 

Killian K. Van Rensselaer to Col. Philip Van Renssdaer. 

Yale, June 15th, 1782. 
This my dear Brother will be handed to you by Mr. Lee, an honest 
Man and a very obliging one. No conveyance offering I have not written 
you a letter since NkoU left us, tho' the Post rides Weekly. I thought 
proper not to trouble you before this. Notwithstanding I was very 
desirous to inform you that my health has been much impaired of late. 
Let not this alarm you in the least, for 1 am recovering fast, five students 
belonging to this Society have died within twenty-five days. One by a 
fall off a Barn and the other four by sicknesa, these four were no less 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 79 

remarkable for their Scholarship, aiul an early display of morality, toii- 
dcn-iiess of heart and social virtues, than for natural beauties, JManly for- 
titude, Wit & Vivacity. It is Scarcely in the power of human imagination 
to paint a Scene more truly moving than that of a fellow Student witness- 
ing their departure from this World, who to no purpose are struggling 
before his l^^yes, for that relief which he cannot give. A person has 
enough to do in performing the hard the' necessary task of a College life 
vpithout any impediment from its gross Companion the Body but when 
this is also affected., that can have little or no pleasure from even the 
most agreeable delights. My situation for these five Months past has been 
very agreeable, and happy would I be, could I boast of it at present. My 
Disorder has arisen from a sedentary life, the Doctor tells me and therefore 
at present but little time I appropriate to Setting twenty hours a day is 
spent in riding. Walking & Sleeping, the other four I attempt Daily to 
spend in performing College exercises. My diet is Milk and Bread and 
you may judge what it brings me to, for you have experienced it about 
two years ago. Phil & Dick are well and mind their Studies much better 
then I expected. Last Thursday Mr. Harry Nicoll was brought in this 
Town a prisoner oif long-Island he will leave this place in the evening 
for home, as he has already effected an exchange. He desires to be 
remember'd to Col. Hamilton and Col. Troop, if they are with you, the 
latter was a Classmate of his'n in York College. He would have written 
them each a letter if time would have admitted. What objections would 
you make in my going to Cambridge in July to see my two Cousins take 
their Degree ? Stephen writes me he expects I'll come. I have written 
him an answer back I should willingly come provided time would admit 
me, he has written me again by yesterday's Post, that he would freely 
bare my exj^ense provided I would come, his generosity to which I am no 
stranger too is beyond what I could expect. If I do sacrifice some time 
now in seeing him take his leave (off" the seat of the Muses) Harverd 
College, it might be a matter that would effect me hereafter greatly & 
no less at present for a ride my Doctor tells me I must take whether to 
Cambridge with Jack when he returns, or home is what you must deter- 
mine. Commencement at Cambridge is the 12th of July. I shall expect 
you Tjill write me by next Saturday's post & inform me how my friends 
do for I have not heard from Albany once since last January. Adieu 

Mr. Lee calls for mv letters. xr -ir ^r -n 

n 1 Du-i- ir T> 1 Alt- KiLLIAN K. VAN ReNSSELAEU. 

Col. Philip v^an liensselaer Albany. 

Killian K. Van Rensselaer was educated for the legal profession in which 
he for many years held a high rank in Albany. He served for several 
years in the city councils, and about 1800 he represented his district in 
congress five successive terms in the house of representatives. He 
married Margaretta, daughter of John Sanders of Scotia, and died June 
18, 1845, at the age of 82, leaving four sons, two of whom still survive. 

P. Van Rensselaer to Col. Marinus Willctt. 
Sir, Albany, 19th July, 1782. 

I am this hour honoured with your favor of the 17th Inst; on Keccipt 
thereof I made application to Col. lieed for an order on the Quarter Master 
for waggoners to forward to you all the fixed ammunition in my possession, 
which will be about twenty thousand Cartridges, Cartridge-Boxes I have 
not in my power at present to send. But expect twenty-four hundred 



80 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

from fish Kill which have been ordered by his Escelleucy to this place 
for your Regt. on the Arrival of them no time will be lost in forwarding 
them to you, by dear Sir, 

Your Most Obedient Hum. Servt. 
Marinus Willett, Esqr. Col. Com. ^- ^^^^ Kensselaer. 

No. 5059, I certify, that there is due from the United States to Arent 
W. Slingerlandt the Sum of Six dollars and a Quarter, Viz : For Ten 
Loads of Wood at five Shillings pr Load, ^6f , Which Sum of Six Dollars 
and a Quarter shall be paid to the said Arent W. Slingerlandt or Order, 
in Specie, or other current Money equivalent, by the Tenth Day of Octo- 
ber next; and if not then paid, the same shall afterwards bear an Interest 
of Six per Cent per Annum, until paid. 

Witness my Hand, this Twenty Seventh Day of September, A. D., 1782. 

Countersigned In behalf of the Public] Tim. Pickering, 

Nicholas Quackenbush, D. Lott, j Quarter Master General. 

Colonel Timothy Pickering was a member of the board of war. In 1780 
he succeeded General Green as quarter master general. In 1791 he was 
appointed post master general by Gen. Washington, which office he held, 
nearly four years, when on the resignation of General Knox, he was ap- 
pointed secretary of war. In 1795 Washington made him his secretary 
of state, which position he held until 1800, when he was removed by 
President Adams on political grounds. He was a United States senator 
in 1803 and again in 1805, and in 1814 was elected a member of the 
United States house of representatives. He died in Salem, Jan. 29, 1829. 

William Pollard to Philip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir : Philad., Mar. 26th, 1783. 

Your Esteemed Favour of the 23^ Feby is now before me & in conse- 
quence thereof your Accounts shall be gone into immediately; I have the 
pleasure to acquaint you that you have another small adventure arrived, 
the Goods arrived from Baltimore last Week they consist of Buttons for 
Cloaths amounting to 1044 lb : 9 oz : 9 dr & I fear will be very unsaleable, 
but you may depend I will do with them as I wou'd for myself , 

It is with great pleasure I acquaint you that at last we have rec^i the 
agreeable Acc'^ of Peace, a French Sloop of War called the Triumph was 
despatched from Breast with the News of the Preliminaries of Peace being 
signed the 20"'' Janv by all the contending Parties, she was sent to Count 
D'Estaing at Cadiz to stop the sailing of the Combined Fleets, & he has 
thought proper to send her out here to inform the French Minister 
thereof, & said Minister & Congress have Letters confirming the same 
from the Marquis La Fayette, but we have no Ofiicial Accounts from 
France, but we apprehend there cannot be a possibility of a Doubt, re- 
specting the Matter. I beg leave to refer you to the News Papers for the 
Heads of the Terms, we are in hourly expectations of a Confirmation 
cither from France or England. I am with great Respect. 
Dear Sir, Your most obed' Serv'. 

Wm. Pollard. 

Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer. 

A provisional treaty of peace was signed January 20, 1783, and " after 
protracted negotiations" the articles were ratified by a definitive treaty 




/<^-^::>2J^-^-^ 




Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 81 

September 3, 178o. ' This peace was negotiated ou the part of tlic United 
States hy John Adams, John Jay, and Benjamin Franklin, ]<]s(juires. 
Tlic independence of the United States was then acknowkidgcd l)y ail the 
foreign dominions." 

Qen. Oanseooort to Philip Van liensselaer. 
Sir: _ Albany 12 April, 1783. 

Please deliver Lieut. Ford four hundred Weight of Powder for the use 
of firing Cannon on the day the I'roclauiation of Peace shall be announced 
and proclaimed. Guns and Cartridge Paper. 

Peter Gansevoort B. Genl. 
To Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer, Store Keeper. 

On April 18th, the commander-in-chief thus addressed the army on 
the cessation of hostilities : " The commander-in-chief orders the cessation 
of hostilities, between the United States of America and the king of Great 
Britain, to be publicly proclaimed to-morrow at twelve o'clock, at the New 
Building ; and that the proclamation which will be communicated here- 
with, be read to-morrow evening, at the head of every regiment and 
corps of the army; after which, the chaplains, with the several brigades, 
will render thanks to Almighty God for all his mercies, particularly for 
bis overruling the wrath of man, to his own glory, and causing the rage 
of war to cease among the nations." 

" On the completion of eight years from the memorable battle of Lex- 
ington, the proclamation of the congress for a cessation of hostilities was 
published at the door of the public building, followed by three huzzas; 
after which, a prayer was offered to the Almighty Ruler of the world, and 
an anthem was performed by voices and instruments. Though the pro- 
clamation extends only to the prohibition of hostilities, and not to the 
annunciation of a general peace, it gives sincere satisfaction." 

Philip Van Rensselaer to Timothy Pickering. 
Sir : Albany, 13th October, 1783. 

An Account was handed to me this day By a Gentleman of your family 
of £25: 11. Being for One Anchor and one Coil of Rigging delivered 
to me in May last. Soon after I had received the articles I requested 
Major Quackenboss to Settle for the same, as he had taken my Sloop in 
the fall of 1781 to go With Troops to the Highlands, and Lost my Anchor 
and part of a new Cable for which I have had his promise to I'eturn me 
again. But could never accomplish it for he stood in need of them. I 
have not received any pay for the Service of the Sloop, and wish that the 
Account may be charged to Major Quackenboss as part of payment to me 
for the use of the Sloop and Loss of my Anchor and Cable. 
With respect and Esteem I am Sir, 

your Most Obedt. Humble Servt. 

Philip Van Rensselaer. 
The Honble. Timothy Pickering, Esq., Q. Master General, Fishkill. 

Many of the troops had gone home on furlough and this year General 
Washington, having leisure, proceeded up the Hudson with Governor 
George Clinton to visit the principal fields of military operations at the 
north. He passed over the battle ground at Stillwater, with Generals 

11 



82 Legacy or Historical Gleanings. 

Schuyler and Gausevoort, and extended his journey as far northward as 
Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and westward to Fort Schuyler (now liouie) 
on the Mohawk, being absent nineteen days. 

Philip Van Eensselaer to Cornelius Ray. 
Dear Sir: New York, 15 November, 1783. 

Misfortune seems to attend us that we may not have the pleasure of 
Meeting and spending a few days with each other. I have now been 
here 14 Days, in hopes to see you every day to return, but to my great 
Disappointment, will not have that pleasure. And for the want of your 
Good Advice and assistance I have Lost Considerable by it; the articles 
which I wanted to purchase have risen dayly since T came to this place. 

I have purchased this day of Mr. Governeur 40 Hhds : Rum and some 
Dry Goods; but he cannot deliver me more than 30 Hhds: the re- 
mainder which he has is Spirits in which he informs me you are Con- 
cerned in, and cannot Deliver me until you return. Which you will 
please to Consider, and if you approve of it you will please to send me 
10 Hhds : and a Box of your fine Sugar, and one Tierce of Rice. I have 
Received of Mr. Governeur to the amount of £862 : 15 in Rum and £145 : 

II : 1 in Dry Goods, together £1008 : 6 : 1. And of Mr. B. Swarthout 
to the amount of — which [ must Trouble you to Settle for me as soon as 
money Comes to your hands Belonging to me, and Take receipts for the 
same, which you will please to transmit to me. Inclosed you have an 
order on Mr. Jacob Cuyler, and he is expected to pay you the Sum of 
£31 : 14 : 5 in New York Currency. And an order on Mr. William 
Pollard of Philadelphia, to pay to you or your order the Sum of £513: 
16 : Hi Penn. Currency. And I have in the hands of Mr. Martin, At- 
torney at Law at Boston a Considerable Sum which will in my opinion 
amount to about £820, or more which I have requested him to remit to 
you as Soon as possible. Which when received you will first pay Mr. 
Swarthout the Sum of £ — ; and Mr. Governeur £1008: 6: 1 and the 
remainder you will please to pay yourself with for such articles as you 
may send me. And should you not send me any, you will please to keep 
the money in your hands until my further orders. I have a Quantity of 
Barr Iron at Claverack Landing and will have fifteen or twenty Tons by 
next Spring. If you will send good India Rum at the New York price 
and allow me the price for the Iron as it Sells when delivered, you will 
please to send it by the Bearer Leonard Van Buren, and you will greatly 
oblige Dear Sir, your sincere friend and Humble Servt. 

Mr. Cornelius Ray, New York. ^- ^ ^^ Rensselaer. 

New York city at this time was esteemed the most l^ligible situation 
for commerce in the United States. It has at all seasons of the year, a 
short and easy access to the ocean, and with respect to foreign markets, 
has decidedly the preference to any of the states. The exports to the 
West Indies are constantly going oa quite largely. 

This certificate issued from the treasury. 

I Do Hereby Certify, That Daniel Jones Gapt., or his Assigns, are en- 
titled to receive out of the Treasury of the State of New York, the Sum 
of Twenty-five pounds two shilling & four pence Current Lawful Money 
of the said State, with Interest at Five per cent per Annum, from the 
twentieth Day of December One thousand seven hundred and eighty, 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 83 

pursuant to to the Direction of'a Law entitled "An Act for the .settlement of 
the Pay of the Levies and Militia, for their Services in the late War; and 
for other Purposes therein mentioned " passed the 27th Day of April, 1784. 
£25. 2. 4. Gerard Bancker, Traamrer. 

During the war, vast sums of paper currency had been emitted by 
congress, and large quantities of specie had been introduced, towards 
the close of the war, by the French army and the Spanish trade. This 
plenty of money enabled the states to comply with the first requisitions of 
congress; so that during two or three years, the federal treasury was in 
some measure supplied. But when the danger of war had ceased, and 
the vast importations of foreign goods had lessened the quantity of circu- 
lating specie, the officers and soldiers of the late army, and tho.se who 
furnished supplies for public exigencies, were obliged to receive for 
wages certificates or promissory notes, which passed at a fifth or even a 
tenth of their nominal value. 

This is to Certify that Mr. Abraham G. Lansingh has due to him from 
the United States the Sum of Ninety- Eight pounds. Sixteen Shillings in 
November 1777 and in Feby. 1779, and the Sum of One Thousand one 
hundred and sixty Dollars, in Transporting Military Stores from Spring- 
field to this place for public use in June 1777. 

P. Van IIensselaer, Puhlic Storekeeper. 

This is to Certify that Casparus Pruyn has due to him from the 
United States the Sum of Seventy-One pounds four Shillings, Specie for 
work done for the use of the Indians, by the request of the Commissioners 
of Indians to me in 1779-1780. 
Albany 20th Sept., 1784. ^- ^^^ Rensselaer, P^Mlc Storekeeper. 

A Wedding Invitation ninety years ago — Jelles Fonda to John Sanders. 

Sir, Schenectady, 4th Nov'' 1785. 

I should Be Glad of your Company as also of Mrs. Sanders, your Mother 
and Sister Pedgge for to See my Daughter Pedgge married Next Tuesday 
at 12 a Clock, I am yours. Sincere frinde and Humble Sevi. 

To Mr. John Sanders, Scotia. Jelles Fonda. 

When Sir John Johnson began a devastating march up the Mohawk 
valley, among the many sufierers on October 18, 1780, was Major Jelles 
Fonda, from whom the present village of Fonda, near old Caughnawaga, 
derives its name. He was absent from home at the time, attending a 
meeting of the state legislature, of which he was a member, then in session 
at Poughkeepsie, Dutchess county. His mansion was at a place called 
the Nose, in the town of Palatine. His wife escaped under cover of a 
thick fog, and on foot made her way to Schenectady. The house was 
burned, together with property valued at $(50,000. The venerable old 
David Fonda was killed and scalped by an Indian party attached to the 
expedition, he was cut in several parts of his head with a tomahawk. 
Mr. Fonda was a citizen of great respectability, eighty years of age, a man 
who, Sir William Johnson said, was like a father to him when he settled 
in Johnstown and Kingsborough, yet his son. Sir John Johnson, waged 
a cruel war against him and his neighbors, robbing them of property and 
slaying prisoners. Weddings in those days were celebrated diQ"erently 



84 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

from what they now are. The law then required the publishino; of the 
banns three successive times iu a religious meeting, before the couple could 
get married. After the notice had been once read, the young friends 
usually had a dance, and after the couple were united, they had several 
dances. In this jolly manner the festivities were continued for three suc- 
cessive days. It was customary for the groom, after the ordeal of pro- 
posing the question, to make his intended a present of some kind, usually 
a pair of silver shoe buckles, sleeve buttons, or snuft'box. The ill-bred 
custom of celebrating weddings iu the street, usually termed horninrj, is 
still sometimes continued. 

There is an amusing account of a novel marriage of these early times 
■well worthy of preservation, when clergymen were not so very plenty as 
they now are. A young Dutch swain and his Dulcinea were anxiously 
awaiting the happy day which was to see them united in the silken bands 
of matrimony. They resided on the north side of Tomhenick creek, and 
the minister who had been engaged to tie the knot lived on the south 
side of the same stream. As the fates would have it a severe storm arose 
with heavy rains falling the night previous to the nuptial day, and the 
creek became fearfully swollen which rendered it impassable. Its waters 
were rising, and its current becoming more rapid every hour. The Dutch 
Reformed clergyman arrived at the appointed time at a place where he 
had been in the habit of fording the creek : but it was as much as his 
life was worth to attempt to cross it then. Here was a dilemma. He 
turned his horse's head to return, when he was hailed by two voices on 
the opposite side of the stream, they were those of the groom and bride 
who entreated him to stay. After some debate, it was agreed that the 
ceremony should proceed. •' Stop !" cried thedomine to the anxious couple. 
" Stand vere you be, and I will make you man and wife/' In the meantime 
the friends of the betrothed arrived from the bride's house in the ueigh- 
berhood. Then was presented a singular spectacle, the like whereof was 
never seen before, and probably will not be again. The domine read 
the marriage service on the margin of the creek, while the parties stood 
on the opposite side. After the ceremony was over the happy couple 
turned to leave. Here was another dilemma, which cast a cloud of deep 
anxiety over the tranquil features of the good old man. " Stop, den, my 
young friends, von moment, if you please. You cannot toss the few 
guilders across the creek, but you can leave them at der first house below. 
Tell dem it is Domine Van Bunschooten's marriage fee, and I will call 
and get it." He put these directions in pure Dutch, then mounted 
his horse and proceeded homewards, and the married couple did the 
same. This is only one instance of the peculiar trials the inhabitants 
had to contend with, but there are many others showing the exciting 
occurrences that engrossed their attention, and the nature of the enjoy- 
ments they found amid so many privations. And yet, with all their hard- 
ships, they prospered ; their wants were few, and their pleasures were 
keenly enjoyed. There were but few families, living quite distant from 
each other, a visit was enjoyed to the utmost and there was no fear of 
criticism, gossip or backbiting to mar the full flow of friendliness. Modern 
fashionable calls and tea-parties, from the very hollowness of the preten- 
sions made, sufl'er much in comparison with the noble friendship developed 
amid untold trials. The inhabitants, however, generally were endowed 
with physical health, strength, and activity, and also were engaged in 
busy scenes of general usefulness. 



Legacy of IIistoiucal Gleanings. - 85 

Dancinrj Asscmhly. 

Albany, 1701. 
The Honor of Miss II. Van Rensselaer's Company is requested fur tlic 
Season. 

Stn. V. Rensselaer, ^ C Dudley Walsh, 

James Fairlie, V Managers. -| Gr. W. Mancius, 

Sanders Lansing, ) (^ John V. Henry, 

As regards the customs of our ancestral patriarchy, their habits and 
modes of enjoying themselves, and how they differ from the present time, 
is always entertaining and affords rare amusement ; while it may even now 
be hazardous to dissent, we will highly appreciate the transition from the 
habits and customs of those days to the modern age. Every thing was 
conducted on a scale of economy and comfort, luxury and ostentation 
were then in their cradle; the former had not yet " poured out Jier glit- 
tering stores.'' As population multiplied, and demands of a social nature 
increased, parties of pleasure sweetened the days of toil. An -afternoon's 
visit, perhaps a bee of some nature, the quilting bees, apple-paring 
bees, spinning bees, wool picking, were all occasions of rare fun. It 
may be a husking is planned, to which the young ladies for many miles 
are invited, the young men in the evening coming in on horseback to spend 
the remaining i'estive hours, bringing a violinist with the party. After 
the work, to bark corn, was accomplished, the gay dance and warm supper 
would be the sequel to the pleasant gathering. In earlier days, at certain 
times, Albany would present the gayety of a colonial court. Balls, parties 
and simple amusements of every kind then known, were interspersed with 
the proceedings of grave conferences wilh stately savages. At these as- 
semblies for dancing they came and retired early, for in those days all were 
required to keep seasonable hours. 

Washington divided his time into the four grand departments of sleep, 
devotion, recreation and business. On the hours of business, whether in 
his own or his country's service, he would allow nothing to infringe. 
While in camp no company however illustrious, no pleasures however ele- 
gant, no conversation however agreeable, could prevail on him to neglect 
his business. The moment that his hour of duty was come, he would fill 
his glass and with a smile call out to his friends around the social board ; 
" Well gentlemen here is hon repos," and iuimediately withdraw to business. 
Bon repos is a French cant for good night. Washington drank it as a 
signal to break up ; for the moment the company had swallowed the gen- 
eral's bon repos, it was Juifs and off. General Wayne who, happily for 
America, understood fighting better than French, had some how or other 
taken up a notion that this same bon repos to whom Washington always 
made such conscience of giving his last bumper, must have been some 
warrior of the times of old. Having by some extraordinary luck gotten 
hold of two or three dozen of good old wine, he invited a parcel of hearty 
fellow officers to dine with him and help him to break them to the health 
of America. Soon as the cloth was removed and the bottles on the table, 
the hero of Stony Point cried out : " Come mi/hravefcUoios^JHl your glasses, 
here' s to old hon repos for ever !" The officers were thunderstruck, but 
having turned off their glasses, rose up, one and all to go. " Hey dey ! 
what's all this, gentlemen, what's all this ? " Why, did not you drink bon 
repos or good night ?" " What ! is that the meaning of it ?" " Yes Sir." 
" Well tlien damn bon repos, and take your scats again, for by the life of 
Washington, you shan't stir a peg, till we have started every drop of our 



86 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

excellent drink, be seated, be seated gentlemen." In a glass c;ise at the 
rooms of the Historical Library in Philadelphia, with other relics, is this 
identical silver wine cup, bearing the initials of" A. IF. It was used by 
General Wayne in the revolution, and presented to the society by a gen- 
tleman of that city, together with a small brass camp kettle, belonging to 
the same notable officer both of which had seen much service. 

At Mrs. Washington's levee the visitors were seated, then tea and 
cofFee were handed, with plain and plmn cake. The company was expected 
to retire early. " The general retires at nine., and I usually precede him," 
the lady would say. At the presidential receptions Washington wore 
his hair powdered and gathered behind in a silk bag. His coat and 
breeches were of a plain black velvet} he wore a white or pearl colored 
vest and yellow gloves, and had a cocked hat in his hand, with silver 
knee and shoe buckles and a long sword with a finely-wrought and glit- 
tering steel hilt. The coat was worn over this and its scabbard of po- 
lished white leather. He never shook hands at these receptions, even 
with his most intimate friends, but all his visitors were received with a 
dignified bow, and passed on. At Mrs. Washington's levees the president 
appeared simply as a private gentleman, with neither hat nor sword, he 
was constantly engaged in conversation, without restraint and most gene- 
rally with the ladies, adorned by all the graces of true courtesy. At 
one of her ladyship's Friday evening drawing-rooms, owing to the ex- 
treme lowness of the ceiling, the ostrich feathers in the head-dress of a 
most distinguished belle in New York city, unfortunately took fire from 
the chandelier, to the general confusion and alarm. Major Jackson, aid- 
de-camp to President Washington, flew to the rescue, and, clapping 
the burning plumes between his hands, extinguished them. This lady, 
who was Miss Mary McEvers, married Edward Livingston, the minister 
to France. Mrs. Washington as a belle at the colonial court in Williams- 
burg, as a beautiful young widow (Mrs. Custis) reigning among the 
chivalrous Virginians, as the wife of the commander in chief and presi- 
dent of the new nation, was a general favorite and her benign aspect is 
familiar to all. She was accustomed to join Gen. Washington in camp, 
traveling with postillions in white and scarlet liveries. Every thing 
about her house had an air of simplicity; the table good, but not osten- 
tatious, and no deviation was seen from regularity and domestic economy. 
She superintended the whole and joined to the qualities of an excellent 
housewil'e the simple dignity which ought to characterize a woman whose 
husband has acted the greatest part on the theatre of human afl^airs. 

The subject of the president's title had caused much discussion in 
society. General Muhlenberg, who had once been an earnest clergyman 
but had in 1775 espoused his country's cause, thought General Washing- 
ton would like the title Iwjh vihjhtlncss^ used by the stadtholder of Holland. 
The general, dining with \Vashington, observed on the subject: "If the 
office could always be held by men as large as yourself or Wynkoop, it 
would be very appropriate ; but if by chance a president as small as my 
opposite neighbor were elected it would be truly ridiculous." He therefore 
voted against any title. When Rev. Mr. Muhlenberg enlisted his regi- 
ment, he entered his pulpit with his sword and cockade and preached his 
farewell sermon. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 87 



Union College Committee to Hon. Philip Schuyler. 

Sir, Schenectady 9th Januy. 1793. 

You have Doubtless been informed that the Citizens of Schenectady 
have had it in contcmphition for a number of years to obtain a publick. 
Seminary of Learning in this Town. In the year 1780 or 81 proposals 
were made on their part to the Legislature then Setting at Kingston to 
Endow a College if instituted in this place, with an Estate of ten thousand 
Acres of Land and the income of the town Ferrys Estemated at more then 
150£ pr Annum Since that period and after the passing of the uneversity 
Law, they have been prevented from publiclcly pursuing the object by 
the revival of an Ancient Law Dispute which comprehended the proposed 
Estate and on which hitherto no decision had been obtaineil, this however 
has not made them Lose Sight of the business. A conviction that the 
Distance of this part of the State with the charges Attending a residence 
either at Columhia or its neighbouring Colleges cannot but operate as a 
very great discouragement to those of moderate tho' comfortable Circumstan- 
ces to devote their Children to a regular course of Education Leads them to 
persevere. And if we Add to these considerations the amazing increase 
of population, the well known Centrality and Cheapness of board in this 
Town the Comparatively few fashionable Vices with other advantages 
which are obvious we flatter ourselves every disinterested Gentleman of be- 
nevolence and Lebirality within this State will afford us their friendship 
and Aid in the persecution. We conceive a Crises to offer at present 
favourable to our views at Liast if we can have the happiness of meeting 
with the approbation and countenance of the Legislature. Dirk V. Ingen 
Esqr of this place with others having obtained a Leas for the Term of 
twenty one years from the Oneida Indians for a Tract of Land Called in 
the treaty of 1788 the Residue of their reservation, has with his Associates 
convayed by Leas 15360 Acres there of for the purpose of founding and 
Supporting A College in the Town of Schenectady reserving an Annual 
rent of two hundred and fifty Dollars for the benifet of said Indians. The 
Management of this Estate is by ample powers intrusted into the hands of 
the Gentlemen acting as trustees of the Academy in this Town, these 
Gentlemen considering this fund as gradual in its Proceeds and temporary 
in its Nature have determined to petition the Legislature for a Law to 
impower them at their own expence to purchase from the Indians their 
reservation to this Donation. This petition supported by a Number of 
the most respectable Characters in the City and County of Albany will be 
laid before the Legislature at an Early Stage of the season. We cannot 
form any doubt of its propriety. Instead of injuring the Interests of the 
Indians it may be made to render to them the most Substantial advantage, 
the idea of supporting and Educating a few of their young Men has been 
thrown out to some of their principal Chiefs who appeared to be exceed- 
ingly pleased and Expressed their Wishes that we might succeed besides 
after deduciing the above Quantity they retain in their reservation more 
then two hundred and fifty thousand Acres to be Cultivated by about one 
hundred families. And it must be obvious that such institution would be 
of the greatest advantage to Society & the State. But whatever facts or 
reasons may be plead in behalf of the subject we are conscious that in 
order to succeed we need the interest and Aid of friends in the Legisla- 
ture, From my knowledge therefore of your candour and liberality I 
take the Liberty humbly to request your Council and Assistance in the 



88 Legacy of Uistorical Gleanings. 

business at Least as far as you shall Conceive Ccmsistant and beg further 
to Suggest that We wish you to make such use of this Letter as you shall 
think conducive to promote our wishes. 

We are Sir, Your very Humble Servi«, 

x\.BR''i OOTHOUT. 

Mynd' S. Ten Eyck, Nicholas Veeder. 
John Glen. Cornelius N. Van Slyck. 

Honorable Philip Schuyler, Esqr., Member of the Senate, New York. 

Philip Van Rensselaer to Oov. Oeorge Clinton. 
Dear Sir, Albany 1 Febv, 1792. 

I take the Liberty to inform your Excellency, that I have not been so 
Successful as to have my Acco' adjusted by the Gentlemen Appointed by 
Law for my Service during the Late war, and for which I have your Excel- 
lency's promise that I should be well Rewarded, this will be Delivered to 
your Excellency by Capt. Mathew Trotter by whom I wish to Receive a 
Line from the Governor with Advice what Steps I must Take in order to 
obtain my Just Right. I have Requested Col° Varick to call on your 
Excellency on this Business. 

With Esteem I am your Excellency's Real and Sincere friend 

and Hum'^ie Serv'. 
His Excellency Governor George Clinton. Philip Van Rensselaer. 

PJdIip Van Rensselaer to Ricliard Varick. 
Dear Colonel : 

I take the Liberty to trouble you to call on the Governor to know what 
Steps I must take to obtain my pay for my Service during the Late War, 
for which I have his promise that I should be well Rewarded, his Ex- 
cellency's oppinion, together with your good advice, will be my Guide on 
this head, which you will please to Communicate to me by a Line with 
the Return of the Bearer Captain Trotter. I am yours Sincerely. 
The Worshipful Richard Varick, Esq., New York. ^- ^- I^ensselaer. 

In 1792 a sort of stage was established to run from Albany to Whites- 
town, near Utica, which performed the route once a fortnight. Some 
enterprising persons residing in the Genesee county, which was the great 
west of that day, established another to meet the one at Whitestown. 
The next year a stage undertook to carry passengers from Albany to 
Coopers town. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 89 



CHAPTER IV. 

General Wayne's Campaign. 

Under the authority of the act of congress 1791, Arthur St. Clair, 
governor of the north western territory, had been appointed major 
general and commander in chief Every exertion was made to raise 
an army and provide provisions and arms for it, after which it assembled 
at Fort Washington. On the 17th day of September, 1791, the army 
left Fort Washington, and cut a road through the wilderness, to where 
Hamilton now stands. Here a fort was erected, and called Fort Hamilton ; 
having completed this and garrisoned it, St. Clair marched some twenty 
miles northward and erected Fort St. Clair, and marching twenty miles 
further due north, he established another military post and called it Fort 
Jefferson. More than two thousand warriors had been watching St. Clair's 
movements for several days, all night long the sentinels had been firing 
upon prowling Indians, and the men, by order of the commanding gene- 
ral, had slept upon their arms. Major Hamtramck had been despatched 
with a sufficient force to bring back about sixty men who had deserted in 
a body, and the main army, only fourteen hundred strong, moved for- 
ward, to where afterwards Fort Recovery was erected, within the limits 
of Mercer county. The troops had been early mustered and dismissed 
from parade on the beautiful morning of November 4th, 1791. They 
were preparing for breakfast, when, half an hour before sunrise, a body of 
Indians, led on by Little Turtle, with yells that wakened horrid echoes 
miles away through the forest, fell suddenly upon the militia. Many of 
these had never seen service and fled in an instant, they rushed into the 
regular's camp, and spread terror and confusion whore they ran. The 
officers exerted themselves, to the utmost, to restore order, but in vain ; 
they, however, did their duty bravely, and were shot down iu great num- 
bers, by the enemy, who took a sure and fatal aim at them.. The Indians 
always shoot at the officers. General St. Clair was so worn down by fatigue 
and disease, gout and rheumatism, that he was not able to mount his horse 
without assistance, but he behaved gallantly during the dreadful scene. 
He was not in uniform, his chief covering was a coarse cappo coat, and a 
three-cocked hat from under which his white hair was seen streaming as 
he rode up and down the lines during the battle. He had three horses 
killed under him. Eight balls passed through his clothes. He finally 
mounted a pack horse, and upon this animal, which could with difficulty 
be spurred into a trot, he followed the frightened soldiers in the general 
retreat. The ground was covered with snow, two or three inches deep. 
The march was a very disorderly one, from Fort Jefferson to Fort Wash- 
ington now Cincinnati. There were in the army, at the commencement 
of the action, about two hundred and fifty women, of whom, fifty-six were 
killed in the battle, and the remainder were made prisoners by the enemy, 
except a small number who reached Fort Washington. One of the sur- 
vivors, Mrs. Catharine Miller, lived in Cincinnati till her death in 1838. 
12 



90 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

This woman ran ahead of the whole army, in their flight from the field of 
battle. Her large quantity of long red hair, floated in the breeze, which 
the soldiers followed through the woods, as their avant courier that moved 
rapidly onward, to the place of their ultimate destination. Many of the 
prisoners taken were by the Indians roasted alive by a slow fire. 

This defeat of General Arthur St. Clair had produced the greatest alarm 
among all the settlers in the West, and it cast a gloom over society in all 
parts of the Union, and checked for a short time the tide of emigration in 
the direction of Ohio. St. Clair was condemned in unmeasured terms by 
men of all classes and parties, and the indignation of President Washingtoa 
was exceeding hot. Although naturally of a mild disposition, Washing- 
ton had a temper which was vehement and almost irresistible. The sad 
news had greatly excited the general ; he walked slowly backward and 
forward in silence, he seemed much agitated, and broke out suddenly : 
" It's all over, St. Clair is defeated, routed, the officers nearly all killed, the 
men by wholesale. The rout is complete, and a surprise in the bargain \" 
All this was said with great vehemence ; then pausing, he again paced the 
floor in silence, violently agitated. When near the door he stopped short, 
stood for a moment, and then there was another terrible explosion of wrath, 
" Yes," he exclaimed, " on this very spot I took leave of him ; I said. Be- 
ware of a surprise. You know how the Indians fight us, I repeated ; 
Beware of a surprise. He went ofi" with this warning in his ears, and yet 
to suff'er the army to be butchered by a surprise, the very thing I guarded 
him against. Oh, God ! Oh, God !" He threw up his hand, and while 
his frame shook he exclaimed : " He is worse than a murderer. How can 
he answer it to his country ? The curse of widows and orphans is upon him." 
The president's private secretary, Tobias Lear, was present and remained 
speechless till the paroxysm passed away. He was charged by the general 
never to divulge his display of temper, and that he was in a passion. Gen. 
Washington, however, was both generous and just, and St. Clair found in 
him a most faithful friend ; his case was investigated by a committee of the 
house of representatives and he was honorably acquitted, having no court 
martial to try him. General Anthony Wayne was appointed to fill his 
place. Congress authorized an increase of the regular army to a little 
over five thousand men, and a part of it, the Legion, was assigned to him. 

For many years the Indians had been very troublesome on our north- 
western frontier, and were ever on " the old war path." The first 
settlers there were constantly armed ; they always went to their work 
with their guns near them, and had sentinels posted also close by, on some 
high stump of a tree. AH males capable of bearing arms, were ordered 
to carry them even while attending public worship. By neglecting some- 
times to obey this order, not a few men lost their lives. The consumma- 
tion of our Independence was not only a source of mortification to the 
government of Great Britain, and to the monarchists generally of the old 
continent, but to companies and to individuals engaged in the valuable 
fur trade of the new one. It was their policy to throw every obstacle in 
the way of our prosperity; and as one great step to further their object, 
they instigated the unfortunate Indians to lift the hatchet once more 
against us, and now unfortunately these " kings of the forest " had broken 
the "pipe of peace," and unearthed the buried weapon symbolical of 
hatred, and the Indian war assumed a serious aspect. Our two armies, 
under General Josiah Harmar and General Arthur St. Clair, had already 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. -91 

fallcD victims to the subtle fury of such implacable foes, and in the con- 
sequent confidence inspired by success, their blood thirsty propensity 
knew no bounds. Almost every settler north of the Ohio, and west of the 
Alleghany, was either carried into captivity or cruelly murdered, for " the 
torch of war was kindled." In augmenting the army at this crisis, the 
wisdom of President Washington, most judiciously, directed him to the 
intrepid Wayne, or "Mad Anthony" (a title gained him for the im- 
petuosity exhibited during the old war for independence), as the proper 
officer to crush the growing evil and to compel the savages to cease their 
depredations. He was destined in his victorious career to achieve peace 
and permanent security to a dreaded wilderness. It was, however, very 
difficult to enlist soldiers for that hazardous service, and now a new cham- 
pion for his country's rights appears on the military field. 

Solomon, the fourth child of Major General Henry K. Van Rensselaer 
and Alida Bradt, was born August 6, 1774, lict groen busch or Greenbush, 
opposite Albany, in what was subsequently called the old Genet mansion, 
He inherited his illustrious father's military disposition ; and in the 
year 1792, before he was eighteen, told his sire, who was a man of posi- 
tion and influence, that he must go if only as a private soldier to join the 
army. General Van Rensselaer obtained for his son a commission as 
cornet of dragoons in the 4th legion of cavalry, and he immediately en- 
tered upon duty as a recruiting officer at Albany, N. Y., as the principal 
rendezvous. His instructions say : " You will recruit for the service of 
the cavalry only. No foreigners are to be enlisted. None but active, 
healthy young men of good characters and morals are to be engaged." 
The youthful cornet raised the new soldiers in his own county of Rennsse- 
laer, and with the most determined perseverance surmounted every annoy- 
ance incidental to the charge of raw recruits, ardently impelled to the 
duty by a noble love of country. With the sacred commission of Gen. 
Washington in his pocket, in obedience to the secretary of war's direc- 
tions, he soon left the amenities and courtesies of life in his early home, 
and "joined General Anthony Wayne's expedition to the Maumce in the 
same battalion with Gen. William H. Harrison, and before he was twenty 
•was promoted to the command of a troop in 1794." It was under this 
efficient soldier, Wayne, that the young Dutchman with his heart " full of 
courage, lion-like, afraid of none," commenced his military career. On 
their westward route our little corps of valiant Greenbushers marched 
through a dense wilderness of several hundred miles, far from succor, des- 
titute of comforts, constantly in danger of falling into an ambuscade, for 
the wily savages were concealed in the bushy ravines and engaged in 
many diabolical stratagems to entrap the unwary. They encountered 
many troubles, »and had much toil on their perilous way, but in due time, 
without a single desertion, they reached thecautonmentat Fort Washington. 

General Henri/ Knox to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, War department, March 15th, 1792. 

The President of the United States by and with the advice and consent 
of the Senate has appointed you a Cornet of a troop of Light Dragoons. 

You will please immediately to signify your acceptance or non-accept- 
ance of this aj)poiutment. In order that you may judge of the pay, rations 
and emoluments for the commissioned, and nou-cummissioncd Officers and 



92 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

privates in the Service of the United States, I enclose you the act of 
Congress relative to the military establishment. 

I am Sir, Your humble Servant. 



Cornet Solomon Van Rensselaer. 




WL 



The above warrant was received and the appointment accepted with 
joy. It was true also his enthusiastic feelings were greatly excited by the 
anxiety and continual alarm that harassed the people, for a dark and 
ominous cloud gathered over the colony and filled the inhabitants with 
alarm. The banner of hostility was again raised and the savages were 
preparing to go out upon the old war paths. As was said of another so 
of him : " The bud of the young cornet's life was just developing into 
the blossom of youth, and his plastic mind was continually impressed with 
words and deeds that left ineifaceable records of memory there, to be 
consulted in future years.'' And now the great question of his life work 
was decided. 

Qen. Knox to Captain Rodgers. 
Sir, War department, June 28, 1792. 

Your letter of the 15 instant is received. I enclose you a copy of my 
letter to you of the 15th inst. directing you to come forward to New 
Brunswick, in New Jersey, with all your recruits. This request I again 

P ■ I am Sir, Your humble Servant. 

n . ■ T 3 ^- -u -o A H. Knox, Secy, of War. 

Captain Jedediah Kodgers. ' ^ '' 

Capt Rodgers to Cornet Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir. 

I have this moment receiv^ your Letter of this day's date by the trum- 
peter, also those from the department of War. I know of no circumstance 
that will prevent my embarking on Fryday at 12 o'clock. You be pleasd 
to accomodate your business to that Hour. I wrote to Mr. Hale this 
morning informing him of the time, tomorrow morning will see you in 
Albany, be so kind as to ask Mr. Hale if the troops can be furnished with 
hard bre'd. 

I amD"" Sir, Yours Sincerely, 

Cornet Solomon Van Rensselaer. Jedidiah Rogers. 

The captain was then in Troy; but having been an"est.ed, after orders 
for marching arrived from General Henry Knox, secretary of war, the 
command, consequently of the company, devolved upon the cornet. 

Marcliing Orders. — General Knox to Captain Rodgers. 
Sir : War department, July 12th, 1792. 

Captain Mills is instructed to muster and inspect your recruits, and to 
place in your hands one Months pay for them. He will also deliver you 
four Months pay and three Months subsi.-^tence and forage for yourself, 
and four Months pay and three Months subsistence and forage for Cornet 
Van Rensselaer, and a further sum of fifty doUas fur the contingent ex- 
penses of your march. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 93 

As soon as the clothing arrives, and which is now on the road to New 
3>runswick, I request that after clothing your men, you will immediately 
commmence your march, agreeably to the orders which are enclosed. 

You will apply to Mr. Bray to furnish you a waggon to transport the 
baggage of your detachment from Brunswick to Trenton, where Mr. 
Hunt will accomodate you in the same manner to Heading in Pennsylva- 
nia. At Reading James Collins, Esqr, will procure you means of 
transportation to Pittsburg. 

Let me hear from you by every opportunity while on the march. 
I am Sir, Your humble Servant, 

H. Knox, Secij. of War. 
Capt. Jedediah Rodgers, Light Dragoons. 

Waterford, 10 miles above Albany, State of New York. 

On the IGth of June, 1775, the day before the battle of Bunker's 
hill, a young American patriot, Henry Knox, escaped from Boston in 
disguise. He was accompanied by his wife, and she had quilted into the 
lining of her cloak a sword, for which it was expected, there would be 
immediate use. He made his way to the headquarters of the American 
general at Cambridge; he was employed, and that sword was a busy one 
for the next eight years. The commission is decorated with the Ameri- 
can eagle holding the olive branch in one talon, and a bundle of thirteen 
arrows in the other, while his beak holds a scroll with the motto E 
Pluribiis Unuvi, in the centre at the head of the parchment; with the 
great seal of the United States Board of War and Ordinance. 

" George Washington, President of the United States of Ame- 
rica. To all who shall see these Presents Greeting : 

Know Ye, That reposing special Trust and confidence in the Patriot- 
ism, Valour, Fidelity and Abilities of Solomon Van Rensselaer, I 
have nominated and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, 
do appoint him a Lieutenant of Light Dragoons, in the Service of 
the United States : To take Rank from the Eighteenth of September, 
one thousand seven hundred & ninety-two. He is therefore carefully 
and diligently to discharge the Duty of Lieutenant, by doing and per- 
forming all Manner of Things thereunto belonging. And I do Strictly 
charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under his Command, to be 
obedient to his Orders as Lieutenant. And he is to observe and Follow 
such Orders and Directions from time to time, as he shall receive from 
me, or the future President of the United States, or the General or 
other superior Officers set over him, according to the Rules and Disci- 
pline of War. This Commission to continue in Force during the Pleasure 
of the President of the United States for the Time being. 

Given under my Hand, at Philadelphia this Nineteenth day of March 
in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-Three 
and in the Seventeenth Year of the Independence of the United States. 

G" : Washington. 
By Command of the President of the United ) 
States of America. j 

11. Kuox, Secretary of War. 



94 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Abstract of Sundries from the Quarter Master's Book. 

Invoice op Clothing remaining in Boxes No. 2 & 3 for Capt. Rogers. 
Box No. 2 No. 3. 



10 Vests 9 Coats 1 Frock 
45 P^ L. Breeches, 108 Shirts 
5 Linen overalls 16 P"" Stockings, 
8 Stocks 9 Valeeces 52 P'" Shoes. 



10 Caps, 

45 P"- Boots 11 Swords & Belts 9 

Slings 
10 Blankets. 



The Size Roll, being a Descriptive list of Recruits inlisted in the 
Company of Capt. Jedediah Rogers. Containing Names, Age, Size in feet 
and inches, Complexion, Hair, Eyes, Trade, Where Enlisted, and for 
what number of years. What Town, What State was Born, What County 
and Town, in which be was Born. 

Place of Residence, What State, County and Town, Remarks. 

The oldest man of the troop was 32 years of age, and the younjjjest was 
19 years, the average age was 23. The recruits were enlisted for throe 
years ; each recruit received a bounty of eight dollars ; each recruit was 
over five feet and five inches in height, without shoes, one was 5 feet IO2 
inches. The clothing, arms and accoutrements were furnished the re- 
cruits; also with rations, barracks, barrack utensils, straw, fuel and such 
necessary medical assistance as they might require. 

Invoice of Equipments furnished Sergt. Major Breck. 
1 Cap, 1 Coat, 1 Stock, 1 Cloak, 1 P^ Leather Breeches, 1 P^ Boots, 1 
Pr Shoes, 1 Pr Boot Buckles, 1 P-- Spurs, 1 P' Spur Leathers, 2 P' Stock- 
ings, 1 Valeece, 1 Saddle, 1 Bridle, 1 Halter, 1 Nose Bag, 1 P^ Pistols, 
1 Cartouch Box, 1 Stable frock, 1 Sword Belt & sling, 1 P"" Brushes & 
Black Ball. 

Received the above articles. 
Fort Washington, December 10, 1792. J. Breck, S. Major. 

Fort Hamilton, May 11th, 1793. 
Received of Lieut. Van Rensselaer Qr. Mr. L. D,, One Cap, one Coat, 
one pair Leather Breeches, one Pair Linen Overalls, four shirts, two Pair 
Stockings, two Pr. Boots, two Pr. Shoes, one Pr. boot buckles, one Stock, 
one clasp, one Stable frock, and one Pair Spurs for the use of a Sergeant 
Major in Capt. Kenry Bowyer's Troop. ^ Covington, Lieut. L.D. ^ 

Fort Hamilton, May 16, 1793. 
Received of Lieut. Van Rensselaer Qr. Mr. L. D., Eleven Dozen pistol 
Cartridges for the use of a detachment of Dragoons for Command. 

Geo. H. Dunn, Cornet L.D. 

Hobson's Choice,! June 1st, 1793. 
Received of Lieut. Van Rensselaer Qr. Mr. L. D., Ten Swords and 
Scabbards for the use of my Troop. 

Robert Ms. Campbell, Capt. 2nd T.L.D. 

Hobson's Choice, June 1st, 1793. 
Received of Lieut. Van Rensselaer Qr. Mr. L. D., Thirty-six horse 
brushes and thirty-six main Combs for the use of Capt. Winston's Troop. 

J. Webb, Jk., Comet L. DroQoons. 



1 The low grounds near Fort Washington. 



Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings, 95 

Hobson's Choice, June Gtb, 1793. 
Received of Lieut. Van Rensselaer Q.M.L.D., Oue quire of writing 
paper, half a paper of ink powder, five quills, half a box of wafers, four 
J>ooivs of Baron Stubens Military Instructions and one orderly book for 
the use of my Troop. ^y ^ j^j,j,^ (japt. 1st Troop, L.D. 

Hobson's Choice, June 11th, 1793. 
Received of Lieut. Van Rensselaer ten pounds Brimstone, five pounds 
Antimony, two pounds of salt.petre, ten pounds Castiel Soap, five pounds 
copperas, ten pounds tobacco, ten pounds bees-wax twenty pounds hog's 
lard, ten yards tick ling burgh, four gallons tar, twelve ftithora rope and 
one old camp kettle for the use of the Squadron under my command. 

R. Ms. CamI'BELL, Capt. Comman. L. Dragoons. 

In the summer of 1793, General Wayne tried to treat with the In- 
dians, and Fort Massac was built under him, to prevent an expedition 
against New Orleans, which Citizen Genet was planning. Gen. Wayne 
sent out, in succession. Colonel Hardin, and Major Truemcan with a flag 
of truce, medals, talks and presents to the Indians in order to make a 
peace with them. These messengers of peace were killed in succession, 
as soon as they arrived among the savages. Their medals, and speeches, 
sent by them, and all they had with them, were taken by the Indians 
who slew the bearers of them. These medals were made at the expense 
of a gentleman of Philadelphia, and by him sent as a token of General 
Washington's friendship to the Indians. Every other efi"ort was made by 
General Wayne, that summer, to bring about a peace with the savages, 
but all in vain, and worse than in vain. But notwithstanding all the 
efibrts to make a peace, yet, nothing was omitted that could be done, to 
prepare for a vigorous war against them. Notwithstanding all the efforts 
of General Washington, in favor of this bleeding frontier, congress and 
the nation were too much engaged with other objects to bestow much 
attention on this war in the distant far West. The French revolution 
had turned the heads of many members of congress towards that dazzling 
object and at this time Genet was busily engaged in his endeavors to 
draw our nation into the vortex of European politics. His filibustering 
expedition on an extended scale, against the Spanish dominions, the 
object being no less than the seizure of Florida and New Orleans was a 
failure, but not, until his schemes of conquest had produced annoying 
effects upon the national government. Early in this year General Wash- 
ington, in company with Colonel Timothy Pickering, made a tour to the 
Indians of Western New York. This visit was made to conciliate those 
savages, and to prevent their joining in the war, with the British Indians, 
as they had done all along before this period. Many New York Indians 
were present at St. Clair's defeat, and some fought against Gen. Wayne. 

Received at Fort Hamilton, July 20th 1793, of Lieut. Van Rensselaer 
late Qr. Master L. D. one pair of boots for my own use. 

Hercules Wiialey, Sergt. ^th Troop. 

Received of Lieut. Van Rensselaer, Q. M. L. D. Six Setts of Horse 
Shoes for the use of a detachment of Light Dragoons under my command. 

Jon. Taylor, Lieut, of L. D. 
Fort Hamilton, July 24th, 1793. 



90 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Received at Fort llaiiiilton. October 9tli, 1793 of Captain Van Rensse- 
laer four Saddles and four pistols complete, which I promise to deliver 
him when called for. F. Salander, Asst. Qr. Master. 

Greene Ville, October 29th 1793. 
Received of Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer Seven pounds, Seven 
Shillings & Plight pence in full on Troop Account. ^ FIunt & Co 

Received of Captain Van Rensselaer five pack Horses and three pack 
Saddles which I am to Deliver to Captain Benhem, from whom they were 
received. Daniel Torrey, Comet tfc Q. Mr. L. D. 

Nov. 1st, 1793. 

Received of Cornet John Posey, One Damaged Horseman's Tent. 

Robert Lee, Pay & Qr. blaster of the 4th Suh Legion. 
Camp 11th November, 1793. 

The " Fort Hamilton " was built by General Arthur St. Clair, governor 
of the North Western Territory. On the 17th day of September, 1791, 
the army left Fort Washington, and cut a road through the wilderness, 
to where Hamilton now stands. Here a fort was erected, and called Fort 
Hamilton. It was on the east bank of the Great Miami river, about 
twenty miles within the present limits of this state. 

Capt. E. Ms. Campbell to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Rensselaer, Fort Washington, Jany 29th, 1794. 

Here I am and shall be untill tomorrow, when I shall set out with Genl. 
Wilkinson for Greenville, in a sleigh. There is a fine Snow on the ground. 
There is no great news here to inform you of. My family connections all 
broke up, tho' the Dulcinea is still on the ground! I am anxious to Return 
to Camp, I fear I shall not be able to see you so soon as I contemplated. 
I fear Capt. Lee's Tryal will be Tedious But I shall press my Return as 
soon as possible. I am to take on the army papers to Head Quarters. I 
hope I shall be able to Bring on Some Money for the Corps. Let me 
hear from you by Every opportunity. Make my compliments to the gen- 
tlemen of the Corps, tell Posey I shall write him from Head Quarters, 
and that he must not be offended at the fatherly Liberty I have taken in 
my Severe letter to him, if he finds himself able to Read it. I love the 
young man for his amiable Disposition, therefore cannot Refrain from 
giving my advice. I wish to have something to Say with Posey before 
he accepts finally of the Staff appointment he is about to have Conferred 
on him. What a pitty it is that all men are Born to be Slaves, but as 
this misfortune pervades the universe of Mankind, be my situation what- 
soever it may, I am determined to possess a happy mind ; that's enough 
for me or for any soldier. Indeed it's victuals, drink and clothing to all 
men who possess it, give me health of Body, Peace of Mind, a Pretty 
Girl, a clean shirt, and a Guinea, and I'm Rich and happy. Now's the 
time my Dear Rensselaer to look forward to great and Brilliant actions in 
the East, it is now said that a War with Great Britain is inevitable, 
though not actually declared. I am my dear Rensselaer your friend &c. 

Capt. Sol. V. Rensselaer 
Dragoons. 
Bellipherontia, Kentucky. 





i^i^^^Mr- 



BUT of the U'MTEB STATES of AmERJCA. 

'^O a// le^/io d/ia// Jee //ede C^^e^eu/^ ^rccfin£| : 

^ttOW 'jy^t Ky/iu/ ^c/iOdehyy d/tectae ^Ue<i/ ana ^on/mc'itce tn ^Ae U^a/ia^/iii/^n, 

'/out, '^'c/e/cYy. am/ ^A'/f'^e€4 ^ ^p'OtomOU ^JIU ^Uu.$',$'flaCV, /F^ /a^/e nommatet/ 

pta ^u a/na a^e/A /Ae t^€ti/ice ana ^onden/ o/ /Ae ^ena/e, cw aAAotn/ Aefn a 

\iptaiu m Squadron, v/ Light Dragoons, eVi t/e ^ei?/cce oA /Ae Hlttitfrt ^^tatCjS: 

'o /aAe ia-nA Alom /Ae C/ei'e-n/een/Ai oA Af<Ai/,, &ne /Acajana deven Aanit^eei Cr 

/ / £/ / CO 

i€ne/u-/Aiiee. ti^e /d /AieleAoie caleAuAAu, ana (Af/faen/AM to mdcAaiae /Ae xA a/y 
•f Captain — Au cAoma. a^tcA /zeiAoi^n/na aAA ^^Aannei o/ tyAfnad /Aeieuft/o AeAona/na. 
sAna tJ^ <Ao cA/Uc/Ai^ cAiai<7.e ancA ieaut'te aAA uAAAe'ceid ana ^ycAcA/eU un(Aei Aiid 
iocm/nanaj /o Ae oAecAcen/ /c Aied u7ie/etd ad Captain. ,^jia Ae id te eAdelpe ane/ 
yA'oAAo-H' dtfcAi u/icAe'ld aizeA ^Uec/co'nd A/O'/n /tine /o /erne, ad Ae dAaAA iecetm Acm //^e, 
i //le Au/uie ^Xt^X^twX e/ /Ae ^llUtftl ^tute,$' o/ %X(i.tX\t\\, o^ /Ae ^eneia/ cl c/Ael 
uAieifoi &AA/ceid de/ evel Adt/n, accoiafna /c /Ae tlAtuAed ana xAedccAiA/ne cA A/ai- 
tyAi/d (OO'/ntntdd/on /o ccn/fnae ^ t^oice eAaUna /Ae U^Aeaduie oA /Ae U^ledeaen/ cA 
ni/ea cA/a/ed Acl /Ae ty^tne Aetna. 

([E'lUnt uneAei m'U '^&ana, a/ e^A./AacAeAAfA/a, /A/} ^AA'dd/ 



-u Command of the PreAdent of the \ / //^^/ • ,/ 61)/ / G'-^ / /? 07/ / 

"-■'"' ^••■■'- -'- ' -•— ' e/ay, o/ /uiu, m /nei /leal c/ oal ^oia 11/ ne Ky/uudeina 

'j^-" t3^«/iS^ <^K}uneAlea ana nme/y-Aepe, aneA tn /Ae ^yjAine- 



nited States of Amet-ica, ( 

^(mc/Aiu ty/cAei/na 



Sec'y of War. 



/een/A AAeai cA/Ae tJ^neAAenaence oA/Ae AAnfAea ^y/a/ed. 




Legacy of llrsTouicAL Gleanings. 97 

Gcner.il Waviie Iiad lieeii employed in endeavoring to make peace, and 
in preparing' for war and now t'outid the season too I'ar advanced to pene- 
trate into the heart of the Indian country, lie therefore collected his 
army and established a camp at Fort Grreenville (the site of the present 
village of (xreenville in Ohio), and fortified it. Having made this encamp- 
ment and wintered in it, early in the next spring of 179-1:, he marched to 
the ground where Gen. St. Clair had been defeated, November 4, 1791, 
where he erected a fortification, and called it Fort Recovery. 

We copy a few of the letters from brother oiEcers found among my 
father's package of correspondence. 

Lieut. Turmr to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Van, Greenville, Feb. 7, 1794. 

I will thank you in case you have not sold my Horse, not to do it, as it 
is probable we may make an expedition shortly, when he will be of service 
to me. If you can swap him and obtain a better, by giving Ten or 12 
Dollars to Boot I should like it. By selling him for his worth and pur- 
chasing one about 45 or 50 Dollars that is equal to that amt., I would 
not object, at any rate britig him or another when you are Ordered on. 
If when you move this Way, you can without discommoding yourself 
bring me either Butter, Sugar, Whiskey or any other articles you may 
suppose would be acceptable, at a reasonable rate, which I understand can 
be procured among you at said rate, your humble Servt. will remember 
you and pay the Interest with thanks. Nothing New. 

Yours, Edw" D. Turner. 

Have your Troop in good order or I shall give you larry ! 

To Capt. S. Van Rensselaer, Kentucky. N- ^- Visscher. 

Capt. Turner to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Van : Fort Washington, March 30, 1794. 

I must trouble you to send my Horse by the Bearer, should Billie not 
have left before this reaches you and you can persuade him to take him 
under his charge, I should prefer it, as the man who hands you this will 
have the charge of 2 or 3 others and consequently cannot take that care 
of him I could wish. I have nothing Material to inform you of except 
an express we are told is on the way from the War Office. We are fre- 
quently threatened with a forward move and as frequently disappointed 
" to do or not to do" seems to be the question, and I am afFraid the old 
G-entleman is himself at a loss to determine. Present appearances I fear 
bode no good to the Army, what the final Issue of the long deliberations 
of Congress will amount to is only conjecture, the knowing ones say, the 
Army will be called back to the River, so or not so, is indifferent to me. 
I suppose the 12 Dollars was a sufficient Sura to carry my horse thro' 
the Winter. Your Friend and Servant, 

Capt. S. Van Rens.selaer, Kentucky. Edward D. Turner. 

The climate of Kentucky was healthy and delightful, the extremes of 
heat and cold were not experienced. The winter, which begins about 
Christmas, is never longer than three months, and is so mild that cattle 
can subsist without fodder. The plains are covered with grass and afford 
good pasturage. 

13 



98 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

General Wasbini^ton was beset on all sides and tbe opposition to tlie 
present constitution laid bold of every tbing witbin tbeir reacb to render 
tbe president unpopular. Tbey pretended to fear so large a standing 
army of five tbousand four bundred men ! Tbe efforts of Citizen Genet 
and otber considerations operated on tbe inind of Gen. Wasbington to 
make tbis a very trying period to bim. " Tbe diiEculties of transporta- 
tion in tbese gloomy times are almost inconceivable. Tbe roads were 
wretcbed, witb many swamps ; the pack-borses sank to tbeir knees, and 
wagon-wheels to tbeir bub in mud." 

Received at Belepherontia, April 20tb, 1794, of Capt. Van Rensselaer 
six pounds, twelve Shillings & nine pence in full for keeping one black 

horse 4 weeks (a) 6.s' £1. 4.0 

To keeping 1 horse 15 weeks, 4.10.0 

To 23 bus. Oats, 0.18.9 

£6.12.9. 

N. Shaw, Asst : Quarter Master. 

Fort Washington, May 3rd, 1794. 

Received about the 6th April, of a Mr. Sanders a Sorrel horse belonging 

to tbe Sorrel Troop commanded by Captain Van Rensselaer, Totally unfit 

for any kind of service and which was sold at vendue on the 26th April. 

Jno. Belli B. Q. M. G. 

Green Ville, July 17, 1794. Received of Capt. Van Rensselaer, five 
Dragoon Horses, unfit for Service, also one Pack Horse. 

John Posey, Cornet & Qr. Mr. T. Light Dragoon. 

Received Greenville, July 25th, 1794, of Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer 
fifteen pounds, four Shillings and two pence, in full to this date, being a 
balance due on His Mess account witb Cornet Torry and Cornet Posey, 
also three Dollars in full for an order drawn in favor of Will. Gorman, a 
Private in Captain W. A. Lee's Troop. Jas. Macconnel. 

Received at Greenville, July 25, 1794, of Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer 
payment in full of bis account of Sundries, £22.5.8. 0. Ormsby. 

Green Ville, 25 July, 1794. Received from Captain Van Rensselaer 
of the 4th Sub Legion, Three privates Shirts, two pairs of Linen Over- 
halls, Three pairs of Boots. 

Jonathan Taylor, Lieut. Pay & Qr. 31r. o/4:th Sub Legion. 

Received of Captain S. Van Rensselaer two Dragoon horses on August 
4, 1794. R. Benham, Cajpt. Troop, L. D. 

Lieut. Nanning I, Visschcr to Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Van Munickhousen : Cincinnati', 6th April, 1794. 

Your Letter of tbe 2d Inst, was banded to me yesterday, by a Dragoon. 
I am surprised that my Letter of tbe 20tb TJlt. (sent by Cap, Earnest) 
had not reached you at that time, in which I requested you to send my 
Horse to tbis place. I do not mean that you sboul'd send him in tbe Let- 
ter, I only wisb'd you to forward him to tbis place by tbe first opportunity. 
I think a Band-box wou'd be a convenieiit piece of Furniture to put him 
in. You doubtless must have rec'd mine by Cap. Ernest before this, 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 99 

since which, T have written you by a Soldier who was directed to bring 
a few of the Paymaster's horses to this phice, viz Turner's Lee's and uiy 
own. I expect to see him momently. I have nothing very new for you, 
save that we have taken quarters at Munson's Tavern, where we live in 
Clover, and even this, I expect is not better living than your Horses have, 
but we poor Infantry boys are glad to take up with this, and think we 
are up till ainost any capers. We shall leave this for Head Quarters in 
about six days; on, or before which time, I order that you will now repair 
to this place with your Troop of Snorters, for the express purpose of escort- 
ing me to that place. I close with my order to you, and request that 

you'll write me on the rec't. Dear Munic, Yrs. etc, xj j ^t,^^„„^^ 
•' ' ' JN. 1. ViSSCHER. 

Cap. Van Rensselaer, Bellipherontia, Kentucky. 

While the troop was quartered at this place for purpose of organization 
and drilling, the officer-like deportment of Capt. Van Rensselaer gained 
the favorable notice of his superiors and paved his way to promotion. 

Though extremely rigid as a disciplinarian he was ever attentive to the 
wants of his soldier and an unbending supporter of their rights. Thus 
he gained their respect, confidence and good will, but it led him some- 
times to unpleasant dilemmas with others. Upon one occasion he stopped 
two of his troop who had been ordered off by an officer, contrary to instruc- 
tions from head quarters, upon express duty. A threat of arrest was 
thrown oat for the act, but he laughed at it and defied. It was not carried 
into execution, nor was any attempt afterwards made to force either his 
men or his horses upon this injurious .service; consequently he was ena- 
bled to keep them in admirable condition for any sudden emergency. 
There were four troops of dragoons attached to the army, the sorrels, the 
greys, the chestnuts, and the bays, and because this kind of force had 
never been used against the Indians, it was hoped that they would prove 
very efficient in the contemplated action which occurred on August 20, 
1794. To this end, care was taken to exercise them upon every description 
of service, whether cleared or wooded, broken or smooth, and they were 
taught never to consider any obstacle impassible without a fair trial. 
The youthful officer was very energetic in the instruction of his men, and 
encouraged them in all things appertaining to their vocation. 

An anecdote was frequently related, to elucidate the proficiency of 
Capt. Van Rensselaer's sorrel troop in this particular, with great gusto 
by Gen. Wilkinson in more recent times. Once when the troop was 
parading near his quarters on the Wabash river, General Wilkinson, 
wishing to test the metal of his youthful officer, waited till they were 
facing a stone" wall which surrounded his fine garden, and then gave the 
order '' charge! " Supposing, of course, that they necessarily would stop at 
the high inclosure ; but far from it. Capt. Solomon clapped the spurs to his 
finely strung horse that stood with his neck proudly arched, his immense 
nostril dilated, his teeth impatiently champed the heavy cavalry bit and 
with a flying leap, the result of a muscular energy that would unseat a 
careless rider, handsomely cleared the stone wall followed by all of his cav- 
alry ; some had struck it down but all scampered over the fine vegetables 
demolishing everything in their progress. Having prompted this ruinous 
result to the fruits of a summer's industry and care, by his own mandate, 
the general stifled his feelings, bore the utter destruction of his garden 
with great equanimity, and with the gravity of a stoic brought the mischief- 
makers back to their original staud. Though as an offset for the spoiling 



100 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

of his cherished garden, after a few njore manoeuvres, when tl)ey were 
facing the river, again came the order, '•'■charge !" At the word of com- 
mand, under full speed in a sweeping gallop, the dauntless captain with 
his well disciplined troop dashed down the steep bank into the river and 
plunged headlong in the deep water before they could be countermanded. 
Unmoved by danger the nerve and bearing of the leader inspired courage. 
If the chagrin of the general had been great before, it all evaporated now 
in apprehension for the safety of the obedient, reckless troop. He watched 
their motions in silent agony. One of them, a cornet, he saw separated 
from his own steed, in imminent danger of being killed by the struggles of 
other ones, but grappled in time and taken in tow by the vigilant captain, 
whose cheering voice was heard now and then above the uproar, all the 
gallant I'ellows ascended the opposite bank in triumph, then General 
Wilkinson i'elt as if released from the burden of Atlas. He expressed 
himself (juite satisfied with the result, and never afterwards thought it 
expedient to try any more experiments with that troop, and from that time 
they were his particular favorites. 

General Wayne was not idle, but urged forward all his measures vigor- 
ously, prudently, and in the end effectually. The reiterated attempts 
which had been made to effect a pacification with the Indians, had issued 
only in new and outrageous proofs of persevering hostility on the part of 
the tribes, with whom we were at war. The only basis they would allow 
to the proposed armistice, was, that the United States should withdraw 
their troops from the western side of the Ohio river. Nothing could be 
more explicit, than this ultimatum of the Indians. Their sine qua non, 
was the Ohio for the boundary. To this proposition, the commissioners 
would never assent, and they accordingly wrote to the chiefs and warriors 
of the council, at the rapids of the Miami, on the 13th day of August, 
1793, that, " the negotiation was at an end." The council fire was then 
put out. 

General Wayne was compelled to wait until late in the summer of 
1794 befoi'e he felt strong euouah to move forward. Meantime the 
Indians appeared in force. On the 30th of June, about a thousand of 
them, accompanied by a number of British soldiers and French Canadian 
volunteers, made their appearance before Fort Recovery (so called in com- 
memoration of the fact that they had recovered the territory lost by 
St. Clair, as well as all but one of the cannon which he was compelled to 
leave behind), and during the day assailed the garrison several times. 
During these assaults the Americans lost fifty-seven men in killed, 
wounded and missing and two hundred and twenty-one horses. The In- 
dians lost more than in their battle with St. Clair. Less than a month 
after this engagement, Wayne moved forward with his whole force 
toward the Maumee. Admonished by the fate of St. Clair, he marched 
cautiously and slowly, so slowly and stealthily that the Indians called him 
the Blacksnake. Little Turtle was again upon the alert, with two thou- 
sand warriors of his own, and neighboring tribes within call. The 
vigilant Wayne well knew this. He had faithl'ul and competent scouts 
aud guides, and by unfrequented ways and with perplexing feints, he 
moved steadily onward, leaving strength and security in his rear. At 
Fort Recovery a company of artillery and also of riflemen were left there 
as a garrison under the command of Lieut. N. I. Visscher. On the 8th 
of August Gen. Wayne with his army reached tlie mouth of the Auglaize, 
a tributary of the Maumee, forty -five miles or more below Fort Wayne. 



Legacy of IIistoiucal Gleanings. 101 

Here, in the forks of these rivers, he erected a strong military work, 
l^'oRT Defiance it was called. 

Lieut. N. 1. Visscher to C<ipt. Van Rensselaer. 

T)ear Van, Fort Kecovery August 1 170-J. 

This letter you'll receive by a Militia m:in who is on his way to Head- 
quarters (with dispatches) where he'll arrive this evening; should there 
be any letters for nie from home, I wish you to forward them by the first 
opportunity, and to inform me whether you have yet had an opportunity 
of slasliing with temporary advantages; if not, I hope you soon may, and 
that you may even be honorably killed ! I To hear of your death wou'd 
be a good story forme to carry home, and wou'd so well please all your friends ! 
llcniembor me for the last time to Tilton, Turner, Andrews, and a few 
other young fellows should they be living when you receive this, that 
however is very improbable. Excuse this scrawl the bearer awaits. 

Yours N. I. Visscher. 

Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Head Quarters. 

General Wayne fully informed himself of the strength of the enemy who 
■wanted war, not peace, and having been joined by Major General 8cott, 
on July 27th, with eleven hundred well mounted men, whom he had with 
him from Kentucky, he left Fort Defiance, on the 15th day of August, 
and at once marched down the Maumee, his right being covered by the 
river. On the 19th he w;is at the head of the rapids erecting some tem- 
porary works to protect his baggage, and to reconnoitre the enemy among 
whom were many New York Indians. He found the Indians advan- 
tageously posted in front of the British fort on the Maumee, at the loot of 
the rapids, to whom he again, at this time, showed great forbearance, and 
sent ofi'ers of peace. 

Little Turtle counseled for peace, but his sagacious advice was rejected 
by his party and the vigilant Wayne soon perceived a conflict was una- 
voidable. The new works constructed at the head of the rapids was 
called Fort Deposit, and here on the 19t;h, Wayne called a council of war, 
and adopted a plan of march and of battle submitted by his young aid-de 
camp, Lieutenant William II. Harrison. The army being now considered 
in good fighting condition. General Wayne issued orders for marching 
against the enemy, who by this time had collected in large force near 
the Miami river on one of those great w'mJfalk so common to the north- 
ern wilds of Ohio. On the 20th of August, 1794, at eight o'clock in the 
morning, the army advanced in columns ; the legion along the bank of 
the Maumee. The infantry under Major Price advanced under quick 
time directly in front of the windfall, thus marching forward five miles, 
they were met by a most deadly fire from the concealed foe, who were 
soon driven from their lurking places at the point of the bavonet to the 
open woods. Here they were attacked on each flank by the dragoons, 
who had been divided in two separate detachments. The enemy could 
not have been better protected, than they were, from such a mounted 
force as Wayne's. This prostrated forest extended five miles west of the 
river, and behind the fallen trees the Indians lay in three lines; the 
large number of broken branches caused by a tornado rendered the ope- 
rations of the cavalry very difficult. The astonishment of the misguided 
Indians at the execution done by the L&iitj-knives as they styled the dra- 
goons, is scarcely conceivable. Although they fought like desperadoes 



102 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

they were obliged to yield to the superior prowess of the novel force which 
pressed the enemy so closely as not to give him time to reload his guns. 
The strong adversary was broken, routed and slain, or driven two miles, 
in one hour, through this windfall and thicket, until they were witliin 
pistol shot of tlie British garrison. Their killed and wounded and that 
of their painted Canadian allies in this last great battle in the north 
against the United States was immense; but our loss was almost equally 
great, particularly in officers. Of the four dragoon captains, only one 
left the field unhurt. This campaign trauquilized the whole Indian front- 
ier from Florida to the northern lake. The Indians were just on the 
point of making one general war, when this timely, great and decisive 
victory saved the United States from it, as all the natives who lived any 
where near our frontier lines, between us and Canada and between us and 
Spain were pledged to unite in concerted action against our nation. 

It was in this notable battle at the foot of the rapids of the Miami or 
Maumee on August 20, 1794, as a boy of twenty summers that Captain 
Van Rensselaer particulary signalized himself at the head of his cavalry, 
iu one of the most brilliant and effective charges ever made against the 
savages of that region. While in the midst of hard fighting, he saw by 
the manoeuvering that the enemy was trying to turn our left flank, the 
order was given to " charge," and in that terrible battle, while in the act 
of cutting down an Indian who was aiming at the troop from behind a 
tree, he was shot through the lungs, being struck in the center of the 
breast-bone by a rifle bullet which passed out transversely near the right 
shoulder. But with the blood rushing from his breast, mouth and nose, 
maugre the dangerous wound, refused to be dismounted from his charger, 
but maintained his seat in his saddle until the enemy were efi"ectually 
routed, when, and not till then, would he consent to be lifted ofi". General 
Wilkinson found " the youthful soldier," after the action, sitting against 
a tree, " smiling with complacency while the blood was oozing from his 
lungs." The wound was at first considered by the surgeons to be mortal, 
but youthful vigor and a fine constitution enabled him to resist the efl'ects 
of the wound and recover his health. An order for the battle, stained 
with the blood of the gallant soldier, was found in his breast coat-pocket 
and is still preserved as a precious relic. Captain Robert Ms. Campbell 
of the cavalry, in that action was wounded in the same manner, in the 
first cliarge. He bequeathed his sword to my father and it is among his 
ettects in the old domicile. 

An extract from the will of Capt. Robert Ms. Campbell. 

" Green Ville, July 25th, 1794. 

* * * " My Silver Hilted Sword I give to my beloved friend Capt. 
Solu. Van Rensselaer in confidence that he will never disgrace it, this 
Sword and Belt is at Mr. Hunts." 

At the close of the action, two litters were brought out for the convey- 
ance of the two similarly wounded captains back to Fort Deposit, into 
one of which Capt. Campbell was placed ; but Capt. Van Rensselaer re- 
fused to be laid on a litter to go from a victorious battlefield. Genl. 
Wayne said, " You young dog ! how then are you going ? " "I am an 
officer of the cavalry, and shall go on horseback," was the reply. " You 
will drop by the way." "If Ido, just cover me up and let me lie there," 
was the unflinching response of tlie brave soldier. At his solicitation, he 
was mounted on his own charger, and one of his dragoons on either side 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 103 

supported tlie sufi'ering officer on tlie horse. As tlie army moved those 
five or .six miles at a slow pace, the f^entle action on his system, while 
goinp; up and down hill was very beneficial, and the blood or pus was by 
the motion thrown up. Thus that decided refusal to dismount saved his 
life, as the blood was prevented from congealing. The best surgeons in 
the army attended him ; we have their certificates regarding his dangerous 
wound, and it was a matter of surprise to them that he ever recovered. 
Neither of these gentlemen believed, on the day of the battle, that he 
could survive, still each exerted himself to aiford what relief might he 
given to the youthful captain ; and each said, after his recovery, that not 
one of a thousand lived after such wounds. They attributed it entirely 
to his upright position, which facilitated the escape of the putrefying 
blood, and the action imparted by the motion of the horse which kept his 
wound in a cleanly state. General Wayne directed his aid, the noble 
Harrison, my father's early friend, to have him carried to the command- 
er's own tent, where the poor invalid was nursed as a son by the kind 
general and his friends. Although Capt. Van Rensselaer was actually 
sensible of the effects of this severe wound to his last day, yet, he was 
enabled within a few months to proceed homeward, and at the expiration 
of two years to report himself again fit for duty. Poor Captain Campbell 
had not sufficient strength to rally, the blood clogged on his breast and 
he " passed away," on the route, from suffocation. Some years after, 
when Dr. John F. Carmichael, surgeon of U. S. troops, was on a visit at 
our house, my father had ordered a new pair of boots which were brought 
home ; trying them on, and finding them too tight, he damned the boots. 
My mother reproved him for so doing, when Dr. Carmichael, who was in 
an adjoining room called out; "Oh! my dear madam, do not censure 
your husband for using that word, it once saved his life." He then re- 
lated that when he, in company with the other surgeons, Dr. Scott and 
Dr. Heyward, came to Captain Van Rensselaer, after the terrific battle 
of August 20th, they all thought him dead. He had, however, fainted 
from loss of blood; the handling of him, roused him to consciousness. 
Just then one of them remarked, " this poor fellow is too far gone, no 
use attending him," and were passing on to the other sufferers, when 
2b ^'' damn you dress we," startled them, and they quickly decided, that 
such a plucky one who had so much energy, should be cared for and 
have a chance of life. Little Turtle, the distinguished Miami chief, 
who led the Indian forces, a few years subsequent to those stirring scenes, 
told the late Rarent Sanders of Albany, then a merchant at Detroit, when 
conversing of that battle and Captain Van Rensselaer, " The little fellow 
had given him so much trouble, that he ordered a dozen of his hravcs to 
watch for him and shoot him down; but he was too active for them, they 
could not harm him till just at the close of the action." General Wilkin- 
son in his Memoirs says: " This high minded citizen, soldier and honora- 
ble man, made his noviciate in arms under my orders, as a cornet of dra- 
goons, more than twenty years ago, and at that tender age was distinguished 
for his coolness and intrepidity in action His father had served as a 
lieutenant colonel in the revolutionary war, and fought and bled for his 
country in tlie affair near Fort Ann, against the 9th Rritish regiment of 
infantry in 1777 ; he had transfused his spirit and patriotism into his son, 
who in my presence, during the campaign of 1794, fought with san<j froid^ 
and bled with complacency. Rising by regular promotion to a troop, he 
was particularly noticed by General Washington, and raised to the com- 



104 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

iiiand of a squadron. The friendships of those da3'S were pure and disin- 
terested ; and no small portion of the true and ancient friendships was 
ever preserved not only hy the old settlers but their posterity." 

Capt. Van Rensselaer to Liexit. VisscJier. 

Ttr 1 ^r i\T • 1 I Fort Deposit, Aus;. 22, 1794. 

My dear Van Munickhousen, r > o i 

Your letter on the 1st lust., was handed me by a Militia man ; there 
were no letters with the dispatches for Headquarters for you or me from 
our friends at Albany. I have been at a place where I might have 
slashed with temporary advantages, had not a Rifle Ball from an Indian 
of the " Charley's " slashed through my lungs on the 20th Inst. The 
wound is considered very dangerous by the Surgeons, but has not taken 
away appetite or Spirits, nor shall it till the last moment, [f you write 
home don't make my friends at all uneasy by letting them know that I 
am in danger until there is a certainty of its proving my dissolution; and 
even then I do hope they will not repine at my lot, as I will die in the 
arms of victory and in a glorious cause. The gallant Campbell is no 
more; perhaps I shall soon lay with him in the grave. 

My aged Parents will grieve. Adieu, Adieu my dear Visscber, may 
you be well and happy is the wish (and perhaps the last one) of your 
sincere friend 

SoLOJioN Van Rensselaer. 

For Lieut, Nanning I. Visscher, at Fort Recovery. 

The germ of discipline unfolded, and the laboring mind is shown in 
the delicate manner in which the suffering soldier speaks of his services, 
and most zealous in doing justice to the merits of others. General Wayne, 
who was well inured to hardships, was so ill, two days before the engage- 
ment, that it took four men to mount and dismount him, yet the brave 
old warrior fought that wonderful battle with all his usual energetic 
boldness, but received no thanks. 

Having thoroughly accomplished his work, General Wayne returned 
with his army to Fort Defiance, while the Indians, utterly defeated and 
disheartened, retired to the borders of Maumee bay, in the vicinity of 
Toledo, to brood over their misfortunes and ponder upon the future. 
On the opening of the next session of congress, General V/^ashington, in 
his speecii before congress, mentioned Wayne's operations with well 
merited applause, but congress in their reply, refused even to allude to 
them and no mention was made of Wayne, nor of his meritorious services 
by that body. Next summer Wayne held a council with all the Indians 
living in this territory, and on the third day of August, 1795, at Green- 
ville, he purchased all the territory, not before ceded, within certain limits, 
comprehending in all, about four-fifths of the present state of Ohio. The 
line is called to this day, the Greenville line. 

After all these great, splendid and meritorious services of General 
Wayne, congress took no notice of him. On his way home, in Pennsyl- 
vania, he was seized with the gout, and died at a wretched hovel of an 
inn, in the then paltry village of Presque Isle, in December, 1796, aged 
fifty-one years. He was buried, at his own request, under the flag-stafi" 
of the fort, on the shore of Lake Erie, without a stone to mark the spot. 
Years afterwards, in 1809, his son. Colonel Isaac Wayne, accompanied by 
a few of his old friends and neighbors, conveyed his bones to the place of 
his nativity; in the Radnor church yard in Delaware county. The Penn- 



LEaACY OF irrsTOKicAL Gleaning.«. 105 

sylvaniii Stiito Society oi' tlio Ciiiciiiiiuti nroctcd over his reniairis a liunJ- 
souie uiotiuuieut of white iiiurble on July It.h, 1809. 

Vapt. Van lienssdaer to General Wayne. 
My Dear Geni : Fort Defiance, August 27th, 1794. 

From the intbrmation of my Pliysician, and IVom my own feelings, I 
liiiiJ w.y wound of such a nature as will debar me for some time of being 
any benefit to tlie Service of my Country. 

Thereibre as there is an opportunity of an Escort, I beg leave to request 
your Excellency's permission for leave of absence till the return of my 
health, at which tin)e 1 shall be extremely happy to execute any Com- 
mands your Excellency pleases to give. 

I am with the highest Respect and Esteem 

Your Excellency's Most Obt. & Huml St. 

Solomon Van IIensselaer, 
Gen' Anthony Wayne. 

When the news of that bloody victory, at the celebrated battle of 
August 20, 1794, reached London, it brought to immediate conclusion 
the long protracted negotiations between the liritish minister Lord Greu- 
ville and our representative John Jay, whose mission there was to obtain 
the evacuation of the forts, which England still held on the frontier of 
the United States, contrary to the treaty of 1683. Mr. Jay, having 
brought these affairs to a successful termination, returned to New York 
in May, 1795, and found two days previous to landing, he had been 
elected governor of the state of New York. This decisive victory which 
had been productive of so much good was the closing work of the revolu- 
tion. 

Capt. Webb to Capt. Van Bensselaer. 
Dear Rensselaer : Camp Fort Defiance, Septem'' 3d, 1794. 

We are in the same Camp that we occupied when you left us but not 
half so well off. The poor pittance of Provision Drawn at present would 
not keep body & soul together, was it not for the Vegitables, that we ob- 
tain when Foraging and even these, we have to bring from the Deserted 
Towns twelve miles above our Encampment, up the River Miami. It 
will be serious & alarming times, with us shou'd Gen. Todd's Escort fail, 
& the prevailing opinion is tluit lie ivlll surdij he attacked. If He fails, 
the consequence is obvious. The Whole must move, Imt God Knoios 
where, I should suppose for Green Ville. The Autumnal Equinox is nigh 
at hand, & we may expect a long continuance of bad Weather. I heartily 
congratulate you on your escape from this inclement, inhospitable Country, 
but do most sincerely condole with you on the cause. 

Our friend Lieut Smith mends very fast & is now in Camp. We have 
heard nothing of the Savages since you left us, which leads me to suppose, 
that they are either collecting their force, to give us battle once again, or 
that they have Drawn off, determined to force us from their Country by 
cutting up our Escorts with Provisions. This last is certainly their 
most effectual mode of Warfare, for fight us when & where they will, we 
shall always beat them. I yesterday took out the Squadron, & ventured 
15 miles up the Miami. I found much Larger k Higher Cultivated 
fields of Corn, Potatoes, beans, peas, k, Pompions, than those Destroyed mx 
tlie Glaize. I believe it is now Determined that our Rout will be up 
14 



106 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

this River to the Maumi Village, where we are to fortify & "Winter. Ex- 
cept the Dragoons, who will I believe return to Kentucky, & when there 
I suppose, we wont cut some foolish Capers, no not at all ! ! If we reach 
Kentucky once more, you shall hear of some rare Doings, Courting, 
Gallanting, Balls & Assemblies. You will wish to be with us. I have 
but little Expectations of a furlough & shall therefore not apply. Our 
Wounded are fast recovering & will all do well, Except poor Jones, 
LL.D. whose wounded mind, or entrails Laudanum alone can heal. He 
has been several times Distracted, See the Effect of Hard Drink ! It 
cannot be long, if the Savages mean to fight us again, before you will hear 
of a hard fought field, for if they try once more it will be with all their 
allied Strength. Prepare then to hear of noble Deeds. If I outlive that 
Day, I think I may without fear of a Denial ask for a greater Commission 
than I now bear. Two Epaulets at least, and then Girls have at you all ! 
But as it is we must wait the call of imperious Commanders & when we 
Do our I'uty well, if they but smile, we must think ourselves overpaid 
altho : they found their fame upon our Merits. There still exists in the 
Legion the same Seism, only a little more extended. Out of 14 swords 
of the Kill'd k wounded only one can be found & a quantity of other 
Equipments gone, no one knows how. I wish to, I cou'd be call'd to the 
Command of the Troop that now must shortly fall to my Lott. Our 
Horses are going fast, I think your Troop at present much the best, hav- 
ing but one tlorse unfit for Duty, whilst the Troop that is to fall to me 
is twice as strong & Musters two Horses Less. The Commander-in-Chief 
this day inform'd me that it wou'd be sometime before we shou'd make 
out forage returns & that we shou'd pass through innumerable Prairies as 
we progress'd up the River Miami of the Lakes. I wish He may not 
have been wofully Deceiv'd in his information for if we are to pass through 
a Country bare of Grass all will soon be over with our Horses, I am 
writing without a Conveyance & am only preparing for the first oppor- 
tunity as we generally have but short notice, shall therefore fold but not 
seal this as many things may turn up between this & the next Express. 
Adieu my Dear fellow, may you be well & happy is the wish of your 
Sincere, j "vy^BB Junr. 

Captain Solomon Van Rensselaer, Green Ville. ' ' 

Lieut. Wm. K. Blue to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Capt: Camp near Fort Defiance Sept. 6, 1794. 

I take the liberty of enclosing to you a letter to my father who I hope 
you & Capt. Slough will call and see as you pass through Virginia. I 
would have wrote more but have not time as we to day was reviewed & 
had then to go oft' at least five Miles for plunder, it was nearly sun down 
when we returned, I was then told that an Express was going to night. 
I beg you will be particular in delivering the letter I committed to your 
Charge in a private manner, observing at the same time that you could 
contrive to send me a letter privately, and safely at least not letting it be 
known who it is from. 

Silver lace for a Coat would be a good thing to wear in Lexington 
amongst the Ladys. I am D"" Sir your friend & most Obt : Svt. 

Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Green Ville. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 107 

Capt. Turner to Lieut. Visscher. 

Dear Visscher, Grand Glaize, Sept. lOtli, 1794. 

From tlie Accounts we have received respecting Van I certainly had a 
right to expect a line from you giving the particulars of his situation. 
His friends are very much alarmed, you will confer a particular obligation 
to let us know every circumatance concerning him. Give my friendship 
&c to him, and // he in wdl enough, tell him I should be liappy to hear 
from him. We have nothing new, we expect to move towards the Miami 
Villages iu three days, where Genl. Barber is to meet us. The General 
is sanguine that he will finish his business of the Campaign in a month 
from this, at the expiration of which he returns. * * * Miami Villages 
Sept. 20, 179-4, I am happy to find by your Letter that Van has so far 
recovered as to proceed to a place where he can be well furnished with 
necessaries for his situation. You should write him and endeavour to im- 
press him with a sense of prudence, otherwise he will be too apt to put 
himself forward to exertions that his situation will not admit of. Campbell 
Smith is with us iu fine spirits and nearly well. We have nothing new ex- 
cept day before yesterday 4 British Deserters came in who say, the Indians 
are still in force below the British G-arrison amounting to about 1600 
that they seem disposed for p6ace. But it is conjectured that before they 
determine that, they will wait the Issue of some negotiations McGee is 
making in Canada. I am in hopes to see you in six weeks from this. 
We commence upon the G^arrison tomorrow, it must take nearly a month 
to make it tenable. God bless you. Compts. to Drake. Write me by 
every opportunity and believe me to be with sincerity, Yours. 

Lieut. N. I. Visscher. ^^^WD D. Turner. 

What few mails reached the territory were carried on horseback, and they 
were so carried until after the late war in 1812; in 1815 carriages began 
to be used in conveying the mails and passengers. There being no bridges 
across the water courses, the mails were not only often thoroughly wetted, 
but the horses that carried them were drowned, with those who rode them. 
Only a few years have passed away since such accidents in Ohio were 
common. " Subsequent to Wayne's victory, during the whole Indian war, 
the settlers in the infant colony, kept constantly on the alert, from four 
to six rangers, who were called spies, whose duty it was, to scour the 
woods and if any Indians were discovered to give the alarm, a gun was 
then fired at the fort, and every person hastened into the garrison." 

The following letter was received at Philadelphia on November 8th. 

Killian K. Van Rensselaer to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany, Oct. 20th, 1794. 

Your favor dated at Fort Recovery the 10 July and the other dated 
Aug. 25, are both before me. As your recent wound is a circumstance I 
feel myself so much interested in I will refer only to the last letter. I 
know you was aware of the danger a military life would subject you to, 
but confident that unless you accepted your commission happiness could 
not be yours, thus circumstanced you made your election. I must confess 
it was what I highly approved of, and I sincerely hope it is what you may 
have no reason to regret, even under your present daugerous wound; for 
should your dissolution be the result of it, you certainly have acquired 
more glory at your time of life than numbers of Generals have found in 



108 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

half a Century, added to the service you have rendered your Country. 
This, Sir, will preserve your reputation and you will live beyond the trrave, 
therefore exert your usual fortitude, and show human wisdom in not re- 
pining at what you cannot help. In this Country as in all other civilized 
Govei'nments, the Military profession is the true way to reputation which 
is generally accompanied by Wealth ; that you may enjoy both, to the 
bounds of 3'our wishes, no person is more anxious about than your uncle. 
Should you survive your wound, and not disabled, I think a Majority will 
follow, and after that all is paved &c. Your friends are all very solicitous 
about hearing from you, and you will do well to drop a line often. Even 
Judge Yutes appeared as desirous to hear of your fate as well as all those 
who knew you, equal with your friends. x\nd I pray you may reap laurels 
in the field in abundance without loss of any more blood. 

I believe this Campaign will settle all, either Jvlin Jay will settle by 
negotiation, or formal War will be proclaimed, and the fountain head 
Lower Canada, will be formidably attacked, and the nature of your service 
will be altered. We find the French still continue drubbing the Allies 
or combined powers, and this will do every purpose for us. Mr. Henry 
Cuyler I mentioned in my last, supposed dead, is now actually a prisoner 
in France, and was one out of two saved in a large Garrison ; his parents 
and family were all in mourning and weeds. Mr. John Visscher [father 
of Lieut. N. I. Visscher], is still alive, and we all pray that the news of 
your death, which we have heard, will be a foreboding that you are now 
alive, and recovering very fiist. I assure you our Paps-knee and Green 
Bush lads cut no small figure in the conflicting scenes in Europe and 
America. Friends are all well. Your brother Killian [Lieut, in the Navy] 
has sailed for Holland. My eldest son John S. is a counterpart to you, 
and I hope to see him under your Command and direction in the Army 
as I used to have you in my office. Joseph Yates has declined serving in 
the Army, and chooses to fight by proxy as Militia men often do. Greet 
Visscher and tell him I have not with-held my interest to either of your 
promotions, and that I will continue to do all 1 can. Tell him I was glad 
to hear he was out the figlitirTg department, least he might have been 
complimented with a ball, and been made to salute the ground with an 
ill grace. Our city is altered very much, and I assure you very elegant 
houses have arose out of the late flames. 1 hope you will not be too ven- 
turesome and mis-give too much either in exercise, duty or anything else 
before your health is restored. N.B. Old black Cretia dropped a tear 
for you. Pray what occasions all the Duels in your army ? * * * 

Your Aunt joins with me in wishing you a speedy recovery. 

^ . • c , ir^^'iJ^ '^^'i K. K. Van Rensselaer. 

Captain Solomon Van liensselaer. 

Light Dragoons, Fort llecovery, Ohio, 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 109 



CHAPTER V. 

European Trip in 1795. 

Lieut. Vitischer to Ccq^t. Van Rensselaer. 

My dear Van, Fort Recovery the 18th of Nov^, 1791. 

Since your doparture from this I have ouly been favored with one 
Letter from you dated Lexington one day previous to your leaving that. 
After your departure from this, and after deeply ruminating on the 
different situations in which we are placed for the ensuing winter, 
it recalls to my memory with the most poignant regret how happy you 
must inevitably pass the time, whilst I am doomed to contemplate 
amongst the sylvan shades. I do not regret the happiness you will 
experience, but that I am not permitted to participate with you. l>ut 
alas ! it appears that I must content myself with the little limits of a 
Garrison, secluded from the society I will ever hold dear. How oft, iu 
the dear and heartfelt enjoyments of my Melancholy walks, have yon 
Eomantic groves witnessed my narrative of love ; and when the drear 
night appears, I retire to my Room, where in a state of ciiaos, the 
thoughts of home, and a thousand other things rush on my mind like a 
torrent. 1 generally take up Thompson's description of a Winter Season 
or some other book, on which I muse till sleep overcomes me. Then I 
am apt to cry with Sancho " A blessing on his heart who first invented 
sleep." On looking back, I find that 1 have been going on like a person 
in love, do excuse me, however improper it may be for the pen of a Sol- 
dier, it flows unstudied from the effusions of a heart too susceptible of 
such foibles. Let me then rouse from this indignation, and proceed to 
the affairs of the Army, on which I shall expatiate but very superficially, 
not that in my opinion such information would not be interesting to you, 
but nothing material has happened since your departure. Save the death 
of our worthy Contractor Mr. Robery Elliott, and Lieut. Isaac Pleasant 
Younghusband ; the former was killed near Fort Hamilton, by the 
Indians ; and the latter (as you may have long since predicted) died at 
Fort Jefferson. Those Gent" I dare say will be much regretted by you, 
the one for his benevolence and amiable disposition ; and the other, for 
his peculiar abilities which would have recommended him in any part of 
the world. I however trust that the gentle breezes of the Western Ter- 
ritory have been strong enough to waft their souls to Heaven, enough of 
this subject. The Army arrived at Greeneville about the 3rd Inst, after 
erecting (exclusively of the Garrisons in which you have been a sharer) 
a large and strong one at the Conjunction oi St. Joseph's and Miamc 
llivers. To the Command of this Garrison was left Colonel Hanitramck 
with six Companies, vizt Captains Porter, Kingsbury, Sparks, Preston, 
Greaton and Reeds. The Garrison is named in honor of his Excellency 
" Fort Wayne." 

I have just heard of the resignations of Major Hews, Ensigns Daingcr- 
field and Thomas Jjcwis ; several others are talked of but with what cer- 
tainty I cannot tell. There are now between me and a Captaincy ouly 



110 LsaACY OF Historical Gleanings. 

four Officers, after they are out of the way I shall enjoy a tranquil mind. 
Before this I expect you have reached Albany, and, by this time you must 
have dispatched a Letter to me, giving me the particulars of your arrival 
at that place, what reception you met with by our Dutch country men, 
not a very hospitable one, I dare say, for the Character given them by 
Historians does not give them a vast deal of eulogy. Nov. 26th. After 
a considerable lapse of time, I again resume my pen. The prospects of 
my visiting the place of my nativity, are not so gloomy at present as I 
have stated them in the former part of this Letter, we have received in- 
telligence from Greenville that we are to be relieved shortly. Then I 
think it probable that I shall be sent to Philadelphia to settle my accounts. 
It strikes me most seriously that I shall return home without ever having 
heard the noise of guns: this however cannot throw an odium on me. 
Yet I doubt not, but I would stand higher in the opinion of the Million 
for having barely heard the noise of guns in an Action. Tho' this senti- 
ment is no more than the dust in the balance with men of real judgment 
who form a true estimate of the meritorious. I again resume my sad 
narrative. Pray how did you find my poor Father ? I hope his imbecility 
of body, and the troubles of his mind are somewhat alleviated, alas ! what 
a gloomy visitor is subject to my memory, how oft in some of my 
melancholy moments, do the thoughts of him steal from me unobserved 
a pathetic tear, and when I draw a similitude between his present and 
his former situation, I am like Niobe all tears. I find I am yet in a 
melancholy strain. I must omit concluding this till some convivial moment 
seizes me. Adieu for the present. But again my dear Van, before I close, 
let me remind you of a circumstance which you are not a stranger to, I 
mean, the important article of knowledge, if I may so call it. Your rank 
in the Army and your prospects of preferment are great ; it therefore 
becomes you to devote many of your leisure moments to the attainment 
of useful knowledge. 

This Letter I have penned at diiferent times merely as the ideas revolved 
in my mind, any inaccuracies I may have fallen into, you will I hope 
pardon. 

Mention me friendly to your Father, and so on, Ad infinitum to the 
whole family, and to all your relatives that inquire after me. Write me 
frequently, the postage of Letters you know is no consideration to me. 
God bless you in all your worthy pursuits. ^^ -j- yjgg^^jjgj^^ 

Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer, 

Green Bush, near Albany, State of New York. 

Fort Wayne was completed on October 22d, and wa>i immediately garri- 
soned with infantry and artillery, under Colonel John F. Hamtramck, a 
most faithful and useful officer. Col. Hamtramck was one of the honored 
few, named by General Wayne, in his dispatch to the secretary of war, 
whose services demanded special mention, viz: "■ Wilkinson and Hamtramck; 
his aids-de-camp, DeButt, Lewis, and Harrison ; Mills, Covington ; of the 
cavalry, Webb, Slough, Prior, Smith, Van Rensselaer, Rawlins, McKen- 
ney. Brook, and Duncan. After Fort Wayne was completed, the remain- 
der of the troops left, some for Fort Washington, to be discharged from 
the service, and the others ibr Fort Greenville, where Wayne made his 
head quarters for the winter. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. Ill 



Lieut. John Posey to Capl. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Captain, G^reen Ville, Nov. 27, 1794. 

I have now set down airain with a view of giving you the news of our 
Little, Army. I make no doubt but before you left tlie Country you heard 
of our safe arrival at the Miami Villages after a march of 3 Days & with- 
out so much as hearing or seeing the Enemy. Indeed the only diffi- 
culty that we labored under during our progress was the extreme inability 
and deficiency of Pack-FIorses to Transport our Baggage and I believe 
the loss of those kind of animals was considerable and a means of retarding 
our March in a great degree, and with pain do I add that several of our 
Dragoon Horses were obliged to be left on the Road. On the 18th Genl. 
Barbey arrived with a large Supply of Provisions which enabled the Foor 
Hungary Soldier once more to i)raw his whole Ration. On the 2 1st the 
foundation of a Large fortification was laid (August 21) & Nature never 
formed a more Beautiful Spot for the purpose, a high & commanding sit- 
uation on the south side of the Miami and immediately at the Confluence 
of the Rivers St. Marie & St. Joseph which form the Miami. This River 
affords an abundance of Fish and wild Fowl. This was formerly the 
Grand Emporium of the Western Savages but were obliged to withdraw 
in consequence of the approach of old Genl. Harmar who destroyed their 
Towns some years ago in the execution of which several Brave Heroes 
fell. Here we remained for the space of one Month, in which a large & 
strong fortification was erected, called after Our Old Chief, Fort Waynk, 
Garrisoned by Old Col. Hamtramak and four Companies, two of which are 
Rifle, one Artillery & the other light infantry. There was a small Fleet 
fitted out a fiew Days before we left it consisting of one large Kentucky 
Boat, one Skifi'and one Canoe, for the Means of transporting Provisions 
from thence to Fort Defiance. A fiew Days also before we marched the 
French Prisoner, Lassell, that we took in the Action was Ransomed by 
His Brother, who brought in three Prisoners in exchange for Him, two 
of whom were men who had been taken in poor Lowry's Defeat. [Lieut. 
Lowry and fourteen men were killed by Little Turtle near Fort St. Clair 
on October 2.3d.] The third was a small girl that had been taken from 
the frontiers of Kentucky. Some time subsequent to this the Volunteers 
were discharged, poor fellows ! I believe they were Heartily tired of the 
Campaigning ; a number of them died at Green Ville Prior to their being 
discharged who had (from, I believe a Cowardly disposition) been left at 
that Place, and not accustomed to the many Hardships & fatigues of a 
Soldier's life took sick and died for Spite. Well, on the 17th of October 
a Signal from the Park accompanied by the Beat of the Genl., bid us Strike 
our Tents and prepare for a Move we knew not whither. * * * Here 
we learnt that the Old Cock had the Old Picque Towns in view as he had 
some reasons to expect a Bickering at this point. * * * However 
after a disagreeable March of 4 days we arrived late in the evening. * * * 
After halting a day we renewed our March and after a most tedious & ex- 
tremely disagreeable journey through the D — dist Swamps in the world 
we arrived safe and sound at Greenville, where we expect to remain all 
•winter. There is no end to the Toils, privations and dangers that we have 
to encounter in these Western Wilds. * * * Since the Death of our 
dear friend Campbell we are like a flock of lost sheep. Capts. Taylor, Webb 
and Jones arc at Fort Hamilton shouldering their Firelocks. Webb don't 



112 LeCtACY of Historical Gleanings. 

sware at all I suppose, O no ! not at all. Major Winston is at LesinL;ton 
on his Heath Bed. * * * Adieu my dear Captain & may TIeavcn be 
Propitious to you is the Prayer of your sincere & affectionate friend 

John Posey Comet. 
Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Robert S. Van Rensselaer to Col. PMUp Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Papa, New York, Dec. 2, 1794. 

I arrived here safe from Philadelphia on Saturday, having remained 
there two days longer than I intended, dancing attendance on J\Jr. Aaron 
Burr and Madison. I breakfasted with Mr. Burr on Thursday previous 
to my leaving Philadelphia, he gave me two letters to N. York for Mr. 
David Gelston and Col. William S. Smith, who both very politely invited 
me to come and see them, and they would give me letters to their friends 
in Amsterdam. 

Mr. Smith I am to spend this evening with, and to wait on Mr. Gelstoa 
for his letters, having informed them 1 intended to sail from Philadelphia, 
and to leave this to-morrow. This, however, will not take place ; the 
Captain of the Ship I intended to have sailed in, has had the candor to 
inform me (altiiough positive orders from the Owners to the contrary) 
that, although she clears out for Hamburg, should there be but few Crui- 
sers in the Channel, she will go to France. This no doubt to you as well 
as myself is pleasing intelligence. I will write to Mr. Burr, to direct his 
letters to me at New York, and also to Madison, requesting him to forward 
his immediately for this place. Doctor John H. Livingston will be of 
great service to me, more then I had reason to expect ; he gives me letters 
to Several of his most intimate acquaintances while he resided in Holland 
and correspondents in that place. I was obliged to inform him I intended 
to take the tour through Europe before I returned, as he was very inquisi- 
tive to know my particular business in Amsterdam. 

He gives me a letter to Anthony Van Rensselaer and also Jan Jacob 
Van Rensselaer both he corresponds with. Mr Ray I dined with on 
Sunday and he also is to furnish me with a letter or two. Mr. Varick 
wrote by the First Stage on his receiving your letter, to what accident it 
is owing we did not receive it I cannot tell. The post-masters on the 
road, were very careless indeed on opening the Mail, throwing the letters 
on the floor in the same room we were in. 1 have Visited Capt. Anthony 
Rut'i-ers, gave the letter I had for him and at the same time told him who 
I was. He very cordially took me by the hand and told me any thing in 
his power, he could do for me he would, being very well acquainted with 
you. He says he will not only give me letters himself, but see and get 
several from the House of Jacob Leroy & Co, and other friends. He has 
advised me to Sail for London (it being only 90 miles from Amsterdam 
and Packets sail from there almost every day) on board the Ship Sampson, 
Capt : John Smith, who is an American, and the Ship an American bot- 
tom and a constant trader, and whom he can particularly recommend to 
me as a good Ship and a very agreeable Captain. On board this Ship, 
Greenleave is to sail for London on his way to Amsterdam, having given 
up the Idea of sailing in the Ship he has chartered at Philadelphia : and 
also two or three more passengers together with myself The Governor 
[George Clinton] promises me letters and gives me a CertiBcate certifying 
my Citizenship and a particular recomeadation besides. This Ship will not 
Sail in less than a month from this, but then certainly, the Captain says per- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 113 

haps a few days Snoiicr, sliall write you particularly in tlio course of this week, 
when will certainly Sail. I have inquired at every place for Hides, but thuse 
who have advertised them for sale, have Sold all tiiey have iuiniediately oa 
landing; they all expect a large quantity in with the first Vessels and 
then 1 may have the refusal of any quantity I like Those that have had, 
sold at 10c/. pr H. I have incIo.sed a number of papers and Accounts 
which I wish you to save for me. There being no more accounts Papa 
will want to Settle with the Qeirs of A, Fennel. Your Account is among 
the number drawn from the books before I left Cherry Hill. With respect 
to Fennel's affairs, I shall write at another time, as also a Power of Attor- 
ney and other little trifles. My best love and compliments to all friends — 
brothers and sisters, but particularly Mama, am extremely obliged to her 
for her letter. I received yours on my return and which through the 
Grace of Divine Providence I mean strictly to abide by. Confident that 
under his protection any misfortunes I am liable to, and which may hap- 
pen, will come easy and lightly if not forsaken by him and for whose pro- 
tection 1 most fervently pray. I remain dear Papa your dutiful Son and 
Sincere friend. Robt. S. Van Rensselaer. 

Philip Van Rensselaer, Esqr., Cherry Hill, Albany. 

At this time the commerce of the United States had sufl^ered much by 
the constant depredations of French cruisers and the mercantile classes 
were greatly exasperated, as at one time no less than sixty privateers were 
a prey on American traffic. 

Robert 8. Van Rensselaer to his Sister. 
Dear Arriett : London, February 25, 1795. 

The singular pleasure I have in advising you and my friends of my 
safe arrival, and the dangerous storms we have experienced in our voyage, 
an account of which I shall give as nearly as I can recollect, the passage 
being too rough to keep a daily account of events during our crossing the 
Atlantic. We left New York with a fine, fair wind, and by evening lost 
sight of the laud, the next day we had a fine pleasant breeze and a Clear 
Sky and I began to be a little sea-sick. Notbing material happened, a 
glorious prospect before us, all water and every moment sailing further 
from land. On the fourth day my Sickness had arrived at its greatest 
bight, and although it was fine, pleasant weathei'and fair Wind, I wished 
myself on land having scarcely eaten a mouthful for the first four days. 
Capt, Smith was exceedingly attentive and obliging to me and endeavored 
to console and ma,ke me cheeri'ul, which was not in the power of man, for 
I was very sick indeed ; on the fifth I began to grow cheerful and re- 
cruited fast owing to the great attention I experienced from the Capt. 
The 1st of January the Mate descryed a Vessel in chase of us which 
alarmed us a little and more particularly some of the passengers who were 
Englishmen and dreaded the Idea of a French Privateer. In the after- 
noon our fears were dispelled for about three o'clock, she came up with 
us, it proved a Hudson Brig out fifty days and had been a ibrtnight on 
Short allowance of provisions. The Capt. supplied them amply and at 
night we lost sight of them, they were bound for New York, our Captain 
wrote by her, but I was then yet not a sufficient sailor or quite well 
enough to write. On the Seventh day out, we struck soundings on the 
Banks of New Fouudland in forty fathoms \yater ; this was highly fiatter- 
15 



114 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

ing as we were then better than one-third of our passajzc, all in luLih 
spirits and in great hopes of making land in 18 days. The winds still 
favorable and plenty, so as to admit our carrying all the Sails she had. 
On the ninth day about twelve at night, all our fine hopes and prospects 
vanished ; the wind began to blow from another quarter directly ahead 
and increased very fast. In the morning when we arose, there was quite 
a gale and we were obliged to sail before it, although contrary to our 
course, only with one sail set. On the January 14th, the Capt. gave 
orders for them to come to, and tried to weather the Storm whicli still 
increased. (They have a peculiar method of doing this, the Vessel lay- 
ing broadside to the wind and not going above two miles an hour, in the 
hardest gale it will admit of their doing this.) It was attended with quite 
serious consequences; we had not been in this Situation tossing mount- 
ains high, above three hours before our (^amboose, kettles, frying-pans and 
chief of our cooking utensils ; our pigs; a sheep; and the Quarter-railing 
were swept overboard into the sea. Fortunately at this time our Seamen 
were in the Steerage and the helm lashed, which preserved their lives, 
for had they been on deck they must have been washed overboard. This 
was not a very pleasing prospect, the Steerage was half filled with water, 
and the men in it thinking the ship foundering. We in the Cabin were 
not much better ofi", for the Sea broke in the Sky light, and for a minute 
rushed like a torrent down into the cabin. This startled even the Captain, 
who declared in crossing the Atlantic for fifty times, he had never expe- 
rienced such severe weather. The men were obliged to be lashed to the 
pump, and pump regularly every hour, dreadful times ! and no great 
prospect of better, for on the 25th, we fell in with a Ship newly wrecked. 
The Capt. supposed she had been lost in the present storm as all her 
masts were cut away and not a soul on board. The wind had somewhat 
abated and we could remain on deck to behold this dreadful sight, for it 
was the most trying one, I ever experienced. In the Situation we were 
in ourselves fortunately it was not our lot, but a number of Vessels were 
lost in this gale which continued for a number of days. On the 2Gth we 
bad once more flattering and pleasing prospects ; our danger forgotten, 
having a fine, brisk wind in our favor, and praising our good fortune in 
the escape of the last tremendous Storm. The 29th the wind changed 
Suddenly and blew very hard though not directly averse; the sky seemed 
lowering, and we were visited with plenty of falling water while at the 
same time wind increasing and every sailor employed taking in sail; a 
heavy sea and high winds with rain continued with nothing remarkable 
until the 1st February when to our great joy, surprise and pleasure, the 
Mate discovered the Scilly Light House, at eleven o'clock at night, 
which is about three hundred miles from the Downs. We all went upon 
deck and with eager eyes gazed on the glorious light which appeared be- 
fore us and for once the gods favored us, having now a fine clear moon 
shining night, with gentle winds to glide us slowly to our long wished for 
port, and on the 2d, we discovered land which exhilerated us still more. 
The day was very fine and in view upward of three thousand Sail of 
different Ve.ssels large and small being now in the British Channel. 

On the fourth of February we hove to, after a passage of 41 days, op- 
posite a small villainous sea-port town named Deal, where to our great 
joy we landed and took different routs for this City. The first night I 
put up at a place called Sittingbourn, a pleasant country village and an 
excellent Inn where we put up at ; fortunately for us we arrived before 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 115 

dark, for a p:ontlcraan who left Deal bef'oro us, but dined on the road, was 
robbed of his money and watch before he could get to us at Sittiuirburu, 
it being- about 8 o'clock when he arrived. On the 5th I arrived here 
after being once upset and thrown out of the post chaise, without any 
accident or hurting inyselt' in the fall, although one Gentleman who hap- 
pened to sit on the side the carriage fell, was a little bruised. We put 
up at the Eagle in the Strand, it being about seven o'clock when we ar- 
rived owing to the roads being very bad, and in the City so heaped up 
with mud and snow as to render them almost impassable. A description 
of the Country and some part of this place I shall give you, at another 
time. M' Smith when he sails, is the gentleman who takes this, goes to 
Gravcsend this afternoon- to embark for that delightful Country where 
peace, liberty and plenty resides without the grievance of taxing windows, 
powdered heads &c. My best Love to all friends who enquire after me. 
I conclude dear Sister, your affectionate brother till death. 

RoHERT S. Van Kensselaer. 
Miss Arriett Van Rensselaer, Cherry Hill, x\lbany N. Y. 

Robert 8. Van Rensselaer to Ids Sister. 

Dear Arriett, London 26th Feb)', 1795. 

In coming to this City we passed a number of Country Seats and 
Villages, none of more note or Kiegance than the Greenwich Hospital, 
which is situated on a beautiful eminence surrounded with a fine brick 
wall and a number of Trees ; from this Hospital to the City are a number 
of Villages, the houses are so closely connected that a stranger would 
suppose himself in the City which is at least six miles distant. The 
buildings in general are very ancient, mostly three stories, some four and 
five ; all have a heavy smoky appearance, they look quite black and very 
much in want of paint. The City streets are all well paved, but narrow, 
dirty, almost, at times, impassible. Mrs. John C. Church [a daughter 
of Gen. Schuyler] is uncommonly polite and attentive to me, has given 
me an offer which I sometimes embrace of, going to the Drury-lane 
Theatre whenever I feel disposed, they have a private Box. This evening 
I am going with her ladyship and Miss Church, who is a fine handsome 
girl, but not till the play is half over, it being unfashionable going before. 
Drury-lane is one of the finest buildings of the kind I ever beheld. Time 
•will not at present admit my giving you a full description of it, but I 
shall shortly, it contains the sinall numher of five thousand people and I 
have seen it several times so filled that they sent several persons into the 
Pit, so as to make room for others. Next week I embark for Holland, 
there is now a truce in this City who come to demand their Vessels, and 
if it is possible to get under their care, I shall do it, they being the only 
people I can get to Holland with in a decent way. Direct letters for me 
to the Care of Messrs Phyn Ellere & Englis, Merchants, Mark lane, 
London. Hon. Mr. Church wished mo to change my quarters to his end 
of the town, I being distant from him about three miles, which is the 
Court end, and there reside all men of quality or Lords, as you please, 
•with whom as a consequence I should have been introduced and visited. 
But this, I think, I most judiciously thanked him for, inlbrming him. 
my business called me near the Exchange^ where all men of business meet 
at one o'clock till four. I also consulted my purse in this determination, 
for had I gone, I might in a few days have sung to a tune I should have 



116 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



been obliged to set myself, Oh ! my Guineas ; my Guineas &e., the family 
are all in good health and desired to be remembered to all at Cherry Hill. 

I am heartily Sick of this noisy, unhealthy, bustling City, not a fair 
day have I seen since my arriA'al, all is darkness by four in the afternoon. 

Things are remarkably high, only think, I'otatoes soiling at five shillings 
a hundred, and fowls at lour and five and still on the rise. Any way I 
sliall leave this on Thursday next, either with the Commissioners, if I can 
obtain leave to go with them, or embark in an American Ship for France, 
as there is one going to Sail in about that time. The next you will hear 
from me either at Amsterdam or Paris. Do not forget to write me, direct 
them as I have written you, for England, as not one letter you may write 
me inunediately for Amsterdam would arrive. Seal your letters well, as 
they are badly treated on board the Ships in rough weather, being all de- 
posited in one large bag. God bless you. Adieu. My best love to Mama 
and all the family, to Sister Betsey and Pete Elmeudorf, Esqr., par- 
ticularly in the interim, I remain your affectionate brother, 




p?enA^7 e^ CA^ 



Miss Arriet Van Rens.'^elaer, 

Cherry Hill, Albany, State of New York, x\merica. 

John C. Church came to this country from England under the name 
of Carter and married Angelica, the eldest daughter of General Schuyler, 
in 1777, against the wishes of her father. He appears to have been a 
man of large wealth and good social standing in England. Pie was a 
member of parliament and was intimate with the prince of Wales and 
his party friends. Mrs. Church in describing a ball siven at her house 
in London, mentions the prince regent and all notabilities were present. 
After some years Mr. and Mrs. Church returned to New York, where they 
lived in grand style for those days. There 3Irs. Church died, and her 
husband returned to England. 

Gen. Schuyler in a letter to William Duer says : " Carter and my 
eldest daughter ran off and married on the 23d inst. (July). Unacquainted 
with his family, his connections and situation in life, the match was ex- 
ceedingly disagreeable to me, and I had signified it to him.'' But he 
forgave, and called them home. 



James Cxiyler to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir : New York 9 March 1795. 

Your kind favor of 27 Ult I received wherein you make enquiries of 
your Brother Killian, he arrived here about a fortnight since in the ship 
Minerva, Capt. Annom. He has now purchased part of the Brig Peggy 
and has sailed this morning, as Master and part owner of the Brig and 
Cargo to France, the port he has gone to is Havre de Grace, barring 
accidents and 1 think he will make a very Great Voyage, he was very happy 
to see me, asked a great many questions respecting you and the Family, 
he regretted Very much he had it not in his power to spare time to go 
up to see you all and now is again gone ploughing the main. I have made 



Legacy of IIistoiiical Gleanings. 117 

many enquiries vespeotiti;]; your trunk from Fort, Kccoverv <ind can liear 
nothing of it. remember uic to your family and I remain Y(jur old 

^n" ' o 1 Tr n ^ n n ^ JaMKS CuYLKU. 

Capt. bolomon V. ]\ensselaer, (ireen i:Jush. 

Our vessels were often menaced and frequently captured. As early as 
1770, congress had fitted out vessels, whose avowed object was to intercept 
British transports having supplies for the royal army iu x\merica. In 
this service they were very efficient, and a larger portion of ammunition, 
good arms, and military stores were thus obtained by the patriots during 
the first three years of the war. They expected to be remunerated tenfold 
lor all the spoliations inflicted on their commerce, and thus compel the 
British government to act justly and respectfully. 

Secretary of War to Cnj^t. Van Itcnsselaer. 
Sir, War Office, April 17, 1795. 

I received your letter of the 2d inst. The effect of your wounds, as 
represented by you, entitles you to the indulgence you request, of remain- 
ing longer on furlough. It is true that the military establishment is con- 
tinued : but the President, on his discretion, was to raise, or forbear to 
raise any part of it. The pacific overtures of the Western Indians and 
the adjustment of our difierences with Great Britain seem to render it 
unnecessary to complete the Cavalri/ of the Legion. The Infantry, it 
will be very desirable to increase, at le ist to recruit, to supply the places 
of the met) who.-e times of service are daily expiring. The numerous 
garrisons we must maintain will require a considerable force. If indeed 
you could enlist a company in the expectation that they most probably 
will be called to serve as dismounted dragoons, according to the provision 
of the law, I should be extremely glad. Of this you can judge, from 
your knowledge of the country where you would attempt to recruit. On 
this head you will be pleased to give me information. Should the pros- 
pect be good, instructions & money shall be furnished. 

I am, respectfully. Sir, Your obt. Servt. 

Captain Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany. Timothy Pickering. 

While Captain Van Rensselaer was at Albany recruiting from the 
eff'ects of his severe wound his mother, the wife of General Henry K, 
Van Rensselaer, was taken sick and died. " The sluirp points of our grief 
when the mission of our loved ones to the world is finished, are that after 
a time we should cease to weep, and then only think of them at intervals, 
and finally be apparently as much interested in tlie world and as cheerful 
as ever." " It is also pleasant from our outlooks to glance back upon 
these early times with the discriminations of distance, for we can better 
understand the full advantage which accrued to American society after 
the one all-absorbing struggle for liberty had been victorious. For many 
years our ancestors had been going to school to great human rights; and 
now, with the march of improvement, we all are, or should be, attending 
school to great human duties and striving to improve our social organiza- 
tions by proper mental ballast proving that God's love is the magnet." 

Robert S. Van Bensselaer to 7ds Sister. 
Dear Arriett, Amsterdam, April 25, 1795. 

When I last wrote you I was amidst the noise and bustle of English 
crowds, where the roaring of the Carriages and the London cries blended 



118 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

prevented one from sleeping till accustomed to the noise. I left London 
and Mrs. Church's family and friends iu i:;ood health on March 1st for 
Harwich, and went on hoard an English packet for Yarmouth, where I 
arrived on the ninth. I took passage on board the Dolphin packet bound 
for Cookshaven, a harbor on the river Elbe, with an assortment of jovial 
companions. Christians, Jews, French, English and Dutch, having fine 
favourable winds. A French frigate coming in sight, made the Captain 
crowd all the sails he had to outsail her, this liked to have done us all 
over, for the wind increasing we carried so much sail that the water came 
into the Cabin, however, we arrived the 12th Inst, without any material 
accident. The weather being very stormy prevented our landing till the 
14th when to our unspeakable felicity we once more had terra Jinna under 
our feet. Cookshaven is a miserable dirty village, the inhabitants all 
Germans : their houses one story with sharp peaked roofs, and the floors 
large flat stones. The Women dress very singularly, they have Caps with 
large wing- on each side as if they were preparing for a flying jaunt, they 
wore about Six petticoats (if one may judge by their appearance) reaching 
within a foot of their ancles, and wore wooden shoes. 

A Gentleman, who came passenger with us and who had been in Ger- 
many before, took the precaution of bringing his Carriage with him, and 
as he was going to Hamburg he politely ofi"ered me a seat in his carriage, 
wl)ich I accepted with pleasure, otherwise I should have been obliged to 
have gone in an open Wagon and travel all night for better then one 
hundred and twenty miles. Although the dwellings are indifferent, the 
land is finely cultivated and that hy the women, as the present War has 
thinned out their men for them, there being very few but old men and 
children. We left this place and arrived at Otterindorf where my Com- 
panion being an Englishman, requested he might pass for my servant, if 
the French were there ; fortunately for him they were not. This is an 
old fashioned town much like our old houses in Albany ; the people with 
the Cookshaven dress are ignorant, impolite and very inquisitive. On 
our arrival, scarcely ever having seen a handsome English carriage before 
this, they flocked round us that it was with some diificulty we got out 
into the house where our servant had informed them we were English 
oflicers, which made them very polite, for they left our room which 
they had filled with smoke issuing in clouds from their large horn pipes. 
There is no Character like a Military one, to travel in Germany, it makes 
them at once obedient and submissive. After dinner we left and rode all 
night, passing through a number of fine Country villages and arrived at 
Stad, a iortified Town. It being about four in the morning we were 
closely questioned by the guard, we passed for ofliicers going to the Army, 
they politely escorted us to the first Hotel. Soon after I retired, after 
having five feather beds taken from oft" the one I was to sleep on, and 
still I had three under and one above me; they use no blankets, they have 
also (a fortunate thing) a Cord made fast to the floor above, iu order to 
draw yourself up by in the morning when you rise. We at last arrived 
at Harburg where we remained two days, the ice in the Elbe not per- 
mitting us to cross, on the third day we crossed and arrived safely at 
Hamburg. This is an old fashioned place, very commodious for Com- 
merce having Canals running through the City in every direction ; it has 
a few good houses in it, and I believe very few good people, chiefly Jews. 
I received a great deal of Civility from some of ihe Gentlemen to whom I 
had letters. It is not a very large place, thougii when I was there it con- 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 119 

tninod twenty tIiousan<I Strangers, French Emigrants, etc. T left Tlani- 
burgh on the 26th for an Ishmd in the North Sea, called Schcnnercoe in 
a tishing boat as all comuiunication with Holland was prohibited ; and 
after five days with very unpleasant and narrow escapes from English 
privateers, I am, thank the Supreme of the Universe safely arrived in 
Amsterdam. This is a fine, clean, pleasing City ; having Canals in every 
direction and fine large trees to walk under along side of the canals. Our 
friends here are all well and request to be particularly remembered to all 
friends; their names you will find in Papa's letter. They were very 
happy at my arrival and happy to learn their friends across the Atlantic 
were well. They are now coming for my letters. My best love to our 
amiable Mother; Betsy and Peter Elmendorf with little Sally ; and all 
our family small and large, and all friends who enquire after me. My 
respects to Mr. & Mrs. Kane, Mrs. Fonda alias Miss IJeekman ; and rest 
assured I remain with every Sentiment of respect your aftectionate Brother 
and Sincere friend R. S. Van Kknsselaer. 

Miss x\rriet Van Rensselaer, Cherry Hill, Albany, N. Y. 

Lieut. Visscher to Ca'pt. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Van : Greenville May 16, 1795. 

I wrote you a few days ago by Capt. Turner at which time I gave you 
the news that was then in circulation, since which I have been favoured 
with your letter of the 10th of March. I mentioned that a number of 
Officers have gone on E'urlough, among whom are Majors Haskill, Buell, 
Capts. Tillton, Andrews, Covington, Price, Lieuts. Posey, Taylor, Trigg 
&c. &c. Since my last to you nothing of consequence has transpired 
save the discharge of Capt. Sullivan by the sentence of a Court martial. 
He was tryed for being intoxicated on a General Court Martial. This day 
Lieut. Hastings Marks has been arrested by the officer of the day (Major 
Winston) for being intoxicated on Guard; his fate you may conjecture. 
Major Winston is severe, exact and uniform in his duty, and shines among 
our first Majors, why do you not write to him '/ I am sorry to find by your 
letter that you have got overwhelmed in love, and sincerely sorry to hear 
you hint of matrimony, if you are serious in this I shall make no other 
remark than this " look well before you leap." It strikes me that you 
might marry to better advantage a few years hence, I mean after travel- 
ing the world a little more and gaining a little more experience; however 
we are not all actuated by similar principles. I hope you have not in- 
formed any of the females in your country that I am styled the handsome 
officer, if you have there must be a few hearts palpitating for me. Pray 
tell them, I cannot accomodate all of them, and if I do not get a fur- 
lough this fall they must drop a tear and bid adieu. Give my respects to 
two or three ladies, and to no other persons whatever ; let me hear from 
you twice a month. Your ever Sincere 

Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. N. I. Visscher. 

The translation of a letter written in the Dutch language 80 years 
since to my mother's mother from Holland. 

Mrs. Jan Jacob Van Itensselaer to Mrs. Phillip Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Aunt : Amsterdam, 4th July, 1795. 

Though unacquainted with you I will not let pass the opportunity, as 
your Son Robert is going to America to send a letter. I can assure you, 



120 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

that, liis unoxpected visit has i^ivou us a great deal of pleasure, and we 
have been with our hearts much attached to him. We I'elt sorry that his 
Stay here was so limited, and that I could not pay more attention to him, 
considering the condition wherein I found myself then. 

Doubtless you have been aware how sad a trial I have had, by the 
Sudden death of my dear Husband, Jan Jacob van Rensselaer ; after 
suffering during eight days with Typhoid fever, and I then being enceinte. 
In the midst of all this, I have kept up, and hope to become in a short 
time "Mother;" and when I remember how well your Son has been 
educated, then I know his mother must be very tender hearted, and I 
do not doubt she will Sympathize in my Sorrow as I was very happy in 
my marriage. May the Lord keep you and spare you and your dear ones 
for you do experience how happy they are where love dwells. 

It will not be necessary to enter into particulars about the family, while 
the bearer of this letter can do this better than I could do it in writing. 
I wish you would be so good to communicate to your Brother-in-law 
Kilian K van Rensselaer, the death of my beloved husband, and that I 
have received his letter, and that I hope, that the death of my beloved 
Rensselaer may not be the cause that I should hear no more from his 
family. 

If the life of my child should be preserved, may then the same friend- 
ship continue, which our friends in North America have manifested to- 
ward my husband. Our Cousin Kilian H. van Rensselaer has given you 
doubtless information about the useful life of my dear deceased. May 
the Lord grant that my child may follow his footsteps. Believe me that 
I recommend myself to your affections, and that I will always feel very 
happy to hear much good of you all, and from my Cousin Robert to whom 
we have fully given our affections. God grant to you, as a 3Iother of 
such a large family, to be a Support to them many years yet. Be so kind 
to assure all our North American friends of my affections and friendship, 
and that I remain Your Niece. 

S. C. Bkeldsnyder Widow of Jan Jacob van Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Philip Van Rensselaer, 

Cherry Hill near Albany, New York. 

How comforting, how soothing the reflection that Christians, when they 
die, become angels, and that angels take an active interest in the affairs 
of this world. Though unseen, unheard, unfelt, they move around, they 
hover over the loved home circle. By God's appointment, no doubt they 
are the guardian angels to watch over the bereaved ones they loved while 
on earth, and to protect them till again united in the skies. God tenderly 
allows no angel revelations, yet we know our " loved ones" are " minister- 
ing spirits " to us. 

Col. Pickering, Sec. of War, to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, War Office, Sept. 12, 1795. 

I received your letter of the 4th desiring to retain the public horse in 
your hands until the Spring, at your own expense ; or to pay for him at 
his value. I think the latter most eligible. The price may be settled 
with Mr. Houdin, and adjusted by means of your pay. 

I am Sir, your Obt. Servt. 

Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer. Timothy Pickering. 



Legacy of Historical G-leanings. 121 

lie was a larii;e, elegant, hii>li-spirited parade war horse of a very glossy 
sorrel color, that kept step and pranced gayly with the martial music. It 
ciused keen regret and seemed almost sacrilegious, to the brave soldier, 
to part with his splendid charger that had borne the dauntless rider 
through so many terrific scenes. The purchase was made ; and I well re- 
member, when Poppet was fully Ciiparisoned, what a noble appearance 
he made, for he was remarkable both for elegance of form and gallant 
carriage. At the whistle of his master, the intelligent animal would come 
prancing from one end of the pasture, with neck so proudly arched, and 
whinnying with delight as he bounded with springy step to meet him 
at the bars. He would then eat apples out of little hands, for we children 
made a great ado with, and dearly loved the petted horse. In old age 
this favorite charger, exempt from all duty, was boarded out in the 
country and had the best of care till he died. In one of the battles, 
General Wayne rode his gallant roan, and in charging the enemy, his 
horse received a wound in his head, and fell and was supposed dead. Two 
days after the roan returned to the American camp, not materially injured, 
and was again fit for service. 

Oapt. Webb to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Rensselaer, Greenville, October 8, 1795. 

I am still here, with little Expectation of leaving t'liis for the Winter. 
There is but little Harmony in our Corps. Taylor grumbles as well as 
myself, to see Officers not half our time in service daily obtaining fur- 
loughs, whilst our applications are thrown neglected by. Blue has once 
forced me to arrest him, having kept the Officers of the Corps in one con- 
tinual Ferment. Indeed we are out at the Elbows on all sides. The 
Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Wayne, this day leaves us with Eight Com- 
panies. His Destination unknown, hut flumght, that he intends to build a 
small Garrison at Lareimies Store or at Girty's Town, Destroy Fort Adams, 
& remove the Troops at that place to this new built Fort. He will then 
it is thought visit Forts Wayne and Defiance. Green Ville is very sickly, 
we have 600 men now in Hospital (and since this Detachment was or- 
dered) but three Captains for Duty including myself. Thus you find 
that whilst you, Covington and Posey are cutting Capers, I am wheeling, 
marching and mounting Guards, to the tune at present of two nighis only 
in bed. What Dashes you must have made in and about iVIbany. I wish 
from my soul I could spend Ten or fifteen days with you, that I might 
shew you a few Virginia Capers with a Tip or two of Ell. Your wound 
is I hope no more troublesome, at least I conclude so from hearing that 
you were, not Long since in Philadelphia and from whence I have in vain 
flattered myself that I should hear from you. This is my Sixteenth letter 
to you since you left me, and in the Course of thirteen months I have re- 
ceived two from you. What in the name of the three Furies, Tissiphone, 
Alecto, and Megara can you be at ? An Elegant City close to your Door, sur- 
rounded tiy every Pastoral amusement, an easy Fortune at Command and still 
you can not even take up your pen to tell your old Brother Officer that you 
are happy. Had it been my Lot to have left you here, I should rather 
have pestered you with Letters than have remained Idle, and when I had 
enjoyed a Pleasure or a Gratification, I should again enjoy it as I gave 
you the Ilelation. But my Dear Fellow, what think you my being politely 
married? It is even so. Do for Heavens sake, write and tell me v^hai we 
16 



122 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

may expect to be the fate of our Little Legion. It is a prevailiug opinion 
here, that the third and fourth Sub Legions together with tlie Cavalry 
will be disbanded. If so I will bid Adieu to all Service that may again 
be destined for this D — d Country, which is not really worth the blood 
lost by us on the 20th August — 94. The Indians I do not believe will 
be long at peace. They have buried only the old Tomahawk but I think 
they will find a new one. How prettily you and Covington have slipped 
your neck out of the Noose. I am the only Captain of the Squadron 
called to Infantry duty and must patiently bear the burthen, for Taylor 
more fortunate than myself was placed at Cincinnati on the Recruiting 
service, and now Commands 25 Dragoons Mounted. 

I very frequently think of that sweet Cousin of yours, and am become 
extremely anxious to see her. If I dared I would say something pretty 
of Her. Present Her I beg of you with the Inclosed verses, and tell Her, 
that though a Stranger to Her in person, I have been making particular 
enquiries, and that she must not be angry or think me iorward when I 
declare that from Character only I am in Love with Her. That all my 
fear is I may not be as agreeable in her Eyes, as her fancied Image is to me. 

Adieu my Dear Rensselaer, Visscher can give you all the little anecdotes 
of the Cantonment. May you be ever happy is the wish of your friend. 

Fearing to offend I would not enclose the verses, say not a word. 

John Webb, Junr., Capt. of L. Dragoons. 

Captain Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

Light Dragoons, Near Albany, New York. 

The great Mohawk chief, Thayendanegea or Joseph Brandt, was directly, 
or indirectly engaged in the wars between the United States and Indians 
from 1789 to 1795, during which the bloody campaigns of Harmar, St. 
Clair, and Wayne took place, he also acted an important part in the affair 
of the north western posts, so long retained by Great Britain after the 
treaty of peace. " He was himself the principal war-chief of the Six 
Nations, and his name would chill the young blood by its very sound, and 
cause the lisping child, even within our day, to cling closer to the knee 
of its mother. As the master spirit of the Indians engaged in the British 
service during the war of the revolution, all the border massacres were 
charged upon him, but great injustice was done him in many instances." 

K. K. Van Rensselaer to Gai^t. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany, Nov. 29, 1795. 

* * * I received letters from our friends in Amsterdam on July 20th, 
and am sorry to inform you that Jan Jacob V. Rensselaer the great friend 
and patron of your brother Killian H. died the 5th of february last, after 
a sickness of Eight days aged 48y & 5days this was the flower of the 
fjiniily the others J. C. h A. V. Rensselaer have written a friendly letter, 
and the wife of Jan Jacob also, they have anxiously waited for Killian 
and as Robert writes his father it appears Killian must have been a favo- 
rite. I received a letter from your cousin Robert S. Van Rensselaer 
dated Halifax October 30th by the Boston post, in which he mentioned 
that he was taken in the ship Olive Isranch, Captain Provost, by the 
Argonaut Man of War. I am fearful Robert may suffer loss, and I am 
certain our Dutch friends will, who had property on board consigned to 
Mr. Thomas Storm, Merchant of New York. You may do well to inquire 
from Mr. Storm what property it is, I have written him, on this inform- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 123 

ation from Robert's account. Study ecoiioniy and partake not of" all the 
frivolous amusements of the City. Head and learn so that you may 
improve for a busy scene. Write me where Killian sails to, so that I may 
jiet iiim to purchase what I may want, provided he does not come up. 
Accept your Aunts and the children's compts. 

Yours (fcc. 
Capt Solomon Van Hensselaer K. K. Van Hensselaer. 

of Light Dragoons now at New York. 

This capturing vessels and respecting no flag was the occasion of much 
trouble, the officers were treated as prisoners of war, but the crew were 
compelled to labor as slaves, taken without leave from American ships 
and impressed into the British naval service. This had long been a topic 
of complaint and negotiation. 

Lieut. Blue to Ca/pt. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Van, New York May 21st 1796. 

I am now on my way to West Point to act as Judge Advocate at a 
Court of inquiry' to be held on Lt. Col. Ilochfontain upon Certain Charges 
exhibited against him by all his officers at West Point, if he is supposed 
guilty of the Charges I shall be obliged to remain for the Court Martial, 
at all events I shall be there from 15 to 20 Days and if Circumstances will 
permit, I hope that you will surely pay me an old intimate friend a Visit 
as it is out of my power to come to Albany. The lower House passed a 
bill for the Reduction of the Army but the Senate I believe have Rejected 
it, our Major has proved himself to be just what you never hesitated to say 
amongst your friends you thought him. Lieut. Webb has turn'd out 
differently, you thought him an Honest Hearted man, but his Heart is 
by far blacker than the bearskin on your Cap. Taylor is in Philadelphia 
and desires to be affectionately remembered to you. To my sorrow Posey 
our good and confidential friend you know has resigned. Slough, Sedan 
and Price have lately resigned also. The 'Major and his friendship may 
both go to hell. I have a better, a more powerful and more confidential 
friend in my General, and while I can maintain his good will, I feel easy 
(acting with propriety) T commanded his escort through the Wilderness 
who bore my expences home. Come to West Point if you can & believe 
me to be what you once did. ^r j? • i -nr rr t» 

Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer. ^^^^' ^"^'^^ ^^- ^- ^^^^^ 

Lieut. Visscher to Caj)t. Van Hensselaer. 
My dear Sir, West Point June 17th, 1796. 

This being a rainy day and everything around appearing gloomy & 
dull, I have no friend to whom I can communicate my feelings but you, I 
must therefore^ to calm the force of woe again trouble you with some ob- 
servations on myself. I think I may now style myself a just resemblance 
of the weeping willow, and in the words of a poet you may 

Mark the Solemn notes while pleading 
Speak the tumults of my mind, 
Hear them softly interc.ediuf? 
Softly telling She's unkind ! 

I need not tell you, for you well know that I allude to Miss Patty (Maria) 
Gansevoort. The dread of being treated with disdain and to avoid the 
mortification of a personal denial are the sole reasons why I have never 



124 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

acquainted her with the confusion of my mind. Now, alas ! I am informed 
she is actually engaged to Mr. Plun ! ! Heavens and earth ! how un- 
ecjually paired ! Why does she not prefer me ? but Love is guided surely 
by fate, What makes me love may make her hate. I have too good au 
opinion of her understanding to suppose that she ivould prefer him for 
his better circumstances. Let me know whether this match is really to 
take place. Write me by the post at once and direct your Letter to be 
leit at the post office at Peeksville. The last part of your letter, my dear 
Van, has given me much uneasiness, I mean with respect to Miss P. G. 
You say you have enclosed me a piece of Goldleaf on which are engraved 
Twelve dozen Sweet Kisses as a memento of the friendship embosumed 
for me by the charming Miss Patty. I fear I have not been so fortunate, 
and that you have only acted thus to raise my expectations, explain this 
to me seriously, in the meantime I must request you to mention me as a 
person who entertains the highest opinion of her accomplishments. Dear 
Van, ever yours. V T V - 

Capt. Sol. Van Kcnsselaer Green Bush. 

Lieut. VisscJier to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Van, West Point June 20, 1796. 

I cannot keep from you the adventure of this day; three Officers and 
myself went down the lliver a small distance in a pleasure Boat ; seeing 
an Albany Sloop we boarded her, where to my surprise I saw Miss Corne- 
lia Schuyler, Miss Westerlo and some others, but not having the pleasure 
of being acquainted with either of them I could not with propriety make 
my bow and introduce my friends, we remained on board the Sloop [I mean 
on deck] till we got opposite to West Point where we left them, and you 
may judge how mortified I felt, and still do at this moment. Yesterday 
Mr. Lovell and myself crossed the river and took Tea with the two Miss 
Dennings, they are from N. York and will spend the Summer at their 
farm about two miles from this, they are beautiful and amiable. Miss 
Cooper was with us a few days ago, 1 escorted her from the Vessel and 
was quite the Gallaut ; if you see her tell her I am quite clever and a 
great deal wrought by her appearance. The enclosed 1 wrote a few days 
ago, I wish you could have an opportunity of reading it to the Lady, not 
telling her from whom it is till vou come to the name; she will in that 
case have no objections to hear it. It is remarkable that I have not yet 
had a Letter from you, I hope you have not yet, at this early period for- 
got me. There has lately been a Duel fought at Head Quarters between 
Lt. Elliott of the Artillery and Ensign Scott, the former is dangerously 
wounded Capt. Heed and Ens. Breeck are both dead. Ingersoll arrived 
a few days ago. Col. Rochfontaine has been restored to his command. 
Remember me to all. Yours N. L VisscHER. 

Capt. bol. Van Rensselaer. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer to the Secretary of War. 
Sir, Albany June 20th 1796. 

I have the Honor to acknowledge the Receipt of your letter of the 
14th Inst, together with a Copy of the Act relative to the Military esta- 
blishment of the United States. I should wish to be considered as one 
of that establishment, altho' my health is much impaired occassioned by 
the wound I received on 20th of August 1794, yet I have a hopeful 
prospect that in a few months I will be rendered capable of discharging 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 125 

that duty wliich T have been intrusted with, and which was my greatest 
pleasure. Having abandoned at an early part of my life every prospect 
held out by my friends here, I entered the Army very younj:;, with an 
unalterable determination to ibllow the profession of arms, and should it 
now be my lot to be obliged to retire in consequence of my wound, it 
would be a circumstance 1 should unwillingly subscribe to as there is no 
active service, I should hope for a farther indulgence, but whether lam 
intitled to any or not, and for how long a time, I submit to you Sir, with 
diffidence 1 have the honor &c. 

To The Hon. James M. Henry, Sec. of War. Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

The Secretary of War to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, War Office July 2, 1700. 

I have received your letter of the 20 instant. I am exceedingly happy 
to learn that your wound will not prevent you from continuing in the 
military service of your Country. As your presence with the Army will 
not be indispensably necessary till near the time of the new arrangement 
taking place, you will be pleased to consider yourself as on furlough until 
the first day of October next. 

I am Sir, Your obedient Servant 

Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer. James M. Henry, Sec. of War. 

Capt. Van Rensselaer to 7ds Cousin. 
My dear Harriot, Albany, July 13, 1796. 

I should have written fo my loved oije before this, had I not been 
obliged to go to Lansingburgh on business for my unfortunate Father. 
He suifers terribly from his wound, and his troubles are great beyond 
conception ; and not a small share of them are thrown on the shoulders 
of one who has it not in his power to extricate him any further than the 
troublesome part of it. 1 shall not enter on a detail of my business there 
but when we meet I shall tell you all, I have gained your affections and 
your tender bosom shall not experience any unnecessary pain caused by 
the one who is so interested in you. I found on my return, here, a letter 
from the God of War, James McHenry of Maryland, as I think it my 
duty to give my Harriot every pleasure in my power to offer, and shall 
through life, I will insert in this a copy of the letter, knowing if it does 
not please, it cannot displease her. I have not shown it to any but my 
own family. Judge for yourself, the following is a copy : " I have re- 
ceived your letter of the 20th Inst. I am exceedingly happy to learn that 
your wound will not prevent you from continuing in the military service 
of your Country. As your presence with the Arniy will not be indispen- 
sably necessary till near the time of the new arrangement taking place, 
you will be pleased to consider yourself as on furlough until the first day 
of October next." 

Whilst other officers of our Corps are ordered on, I am suffered to re- 
main with my friends and will have had a furlough for two years, when 
it is expired. This indulgence is certainly very great, more considerate 
and kind than I could have had any idea of. I had quite a decent wash- 
ing by the time I reached Albany, for it was raining very fast. I thought 
of the imprudence in my case of being wet, and could not apply to myself 
the preaching I cannot prevent my saying to you " to take care of your- 
self." [n this instance business and my word of honor called me here to 
day at 3 o'clock, so I had to face the storm, but have found no inconvenience 
from so doin^. 



126 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Mrs. Kane lias returned ; when I called there Mr. Kane was p;ood 

enough to take uie up stairs to show me their fineries : a beautiful paper 

for the room &c., a Carpet that cost .£65, a pair of Lookino; -glasses for the 

like sum, and a _e;reat m;iny other curious and fine articles, I had the honor 

of inspecting. Mrs. Ludlow told Mrs. Kane that if you would not write 

to her daughter, she thought you might do so to her. Tomorrow I shall 

visit Cherry Hill when I hope to find them as well as they have been this 

day. I suppose you must have heard that Mr. and Mrs. Douw Fonda 

passed through Schenectady on Sunday, it was in consequence of a letter 

that his presence was necessary the following day at Caughnawaga, the}' 

do not return until the last of next week. You know last year Mr. Fonda 

together with Henry Fonda commenced to build a number of houses on 

the Caughnawaga flats and the Coffin is now quite a little hamlet. Your 

Sister intended to have accompanied them, but at that time was at Cherry 

Hill ; she says when you have made your visit and return home, she will 

go up with your Father and Mother. Adieu my Lovely Harriot would 

to Heavens I could see you now and repeat the garden scene, how happy 

would be your unfeigned & unalterable r,, , -ir . , t>^>t,.<,,.^ .^^ 

AT- TT • . ir i> 1 o L- Sol. Van Kensselaer. 

Miss Harriot Van Kensselaer, Scotia. 

A large black stoue, resembling a coffin^ in the Mohawk river, originated 

the name. 

The translation of a letter written in the Dutch language. 

J. G. Van Btaiihorst to Robert S. win Rensselaer. 

New York den 2 Sept : 1796. 

Mynheer ! The inclosed, I have received from Madame van Rensselaer 
from Amsterdam, requesting to hand it to you, being informed that you 
reside for the present at Albany, I take the liberty to forward it to you. 
If my aflairs and health did permit me, I would have given it to you per- 
sonally, in order to have had the pleasure to become personally acquainted 
with you. 

You will permit me Sir, to explain to you, the cause, why this letter, 
which had been intrusted to me, is received by you in Such a Condition. 

On the 3d day of April I Sailed from the port of Texel, in the American 
Ship 3Iinerva, Captain Clarkson, and was taken the 10th day of May by 
the English in Halifax, and pronounced a prisoner, and robbed of all my 
papers and letters. The •ith day of July being discharged on parole, I 
requested for my papers, and received them in a miserable condition, and 
all opened. After receiving them, I have all sealed them, and this accounts 
for the bad condition in which you have received this letter. I am Sorry 
indeed that I could not perform my commission better. 

Bo so kind wheu yuu meet Madame van Rensselaer to assure her of 
my esteem. Remaining Sir ! Your obedient Servt. 

J. G. van Staphorst. 

Den Hecr R. S. Van Rensselaer, in Albany, New York. 

Robert S. Van Rensselaer to his Sister. 
Dear Arriett, London, September, 10, 1796. 

I hope ere this you have received some intelligence from me of my safe 
Arrival in this City after a very moderate and pleasant passage of about 
thirty days until we arrived at Graves-End where we left the Ship and 
came up by land through a delighful and cultivated Country to Loudon. 
Wo bad two Lady passengers, one of whom, a Miss Nugent, cauie out to 



Legacy of IIiSTOiiiCAii Gleanings. 127 

be married to an American Gentleman, Mr. Broom from New York, she 
beioi;- a welbred woman-, added not a little to our pleasure. Mr. Church 
resides now about Eight miles from the City, in a very neat Country 
house, to which place I frequently resort to retire from the noise and 
bustle of a City life, which becomes almost insupportable. Walking being 
very fashionable, and it suiting an American purse, I generally trudge it 
on foot, anticipating the pleasures I shall enjoy when I arrive ; they being 
happy in seeing me, and treat me with every politeness imaginable. The 
difference between Mrs. Church and the other members of Gen. Schuy- 
ler's family, near us in Albany, is inconceivable. She all affectionate and 
polite, endeavoring to please those around her, while the others, first kin 
to the fallen Angel, are swelling with pride and pomposity. At times I 
scarcely know what line of distinction to draw between the family ; certain 
I am there can be no comparison of the worth and amiable disposition of 
this One and the avaricious minds of those in America, though I hope as 
our Climate changes, it may effect their minds and mould them at least 
to Civility and render them more acceptable generally to Society. 

Time hanging heavy and not much to attend to, I took a ride to Oxford 
about P]ighty miles from this, visited the different Colleges, twenty-one 
in number, and then went to view Blenheim House, the Seat of the Duke 
of Malborough. This is without Exception one of the most pleasant 
situations I ever beheld, it is a paradise ; in imagination you would think 
yourself in a land of fairies to behold the inside. I shall endeavour to 
give you a slight description, being confident I am not able to recollect 
every Scene I beheld there. In this Country, all the famous Seats go by the 
appellation of Castles ; this one is situated about seven miles from Oxford. 
You enter the Park through a spacious portal of the Corinthian order of 
architecture, from whence a fine view opens of the noble Castle, bridge, 
lake and many otiier beautiful Scenes of the Park, which is stocked with 
Deer, Sheep, and Birds of various kinds. The Front of the House from 
wing to wing is three hundred and forty-eight feet, and on the South front 
on the pediment towards the garden, is a bust larger than life of Louis 
the Pourteenth taken in battle from Tournay in France. On the Top of 
the house is a large Reservoir which supplies the Castle with water from 
an artificial made river. I entered the Hall, which is really magnificent, 
being the height of the house and of proportionable breadth, supported 
by Corinthian Pillars. Over the door is the Bust of the first proprietor 
John, Duke of Malboro', and a number of other beautiful busts. On the 
right and left are several marble termini, with two excellent Statues of a 
Nymph and a Bacchanal. The painted Ceiling allegorically representing 
Victory crowning John of 31alborough, and pointing to a plan of the 
Battle of Blenheim. I then entered the Bow-window Room and being 
an American, consequently very inquisitive, I inquired the use &g. of the 
room, which the old servant very innocently replied, was intended to look 
at. It's window commanding a number of pleasant prospects, and de- 
corated with Elegant Pictures, such as the Virgin and Child, St. John, 
Nicholas and other Saints ; over the doors were fine heads made of Marble 
elegantly executed. The Duke's Dressing roon) contained a number of 
excellent Paintings by the first Artists such as Palma, Titian, Weeni and 
a Score of others. There were in this room some paintings particularly 
fine ; an Inside view of a Church ; the Destruction of Pharaoh and his 
Host in the Red Seaj a Spanish Sea-port &c. The rest of the unneces- 
sary appendages were contained in his dressing-room, which was small 



128 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

hut very neat indeed. The Drawing-Room has also a number of fine 
Paintings: the Holy Family; the Marchioness • de Harvre; Mary de 
Mcdices by the famous painter Van Dyke ; the portrait of William the 
Third; au Annunciation ; Lady Chesterfield; Philip of Spain ; Andromeda 
chained to a rocl;: ; a Frencli Camp ; the Spencer family &c. This Drawing- 
room is furnished with crimson damask. The Grand Cabinet contains 
more pictures, and is also furnished with crimson damask. The Paintings 
were particularly Striking and I took out my pencil to minute them : 
first, a Holy Family by Rubens ; a Madona standing on a Globe, surrounded 
by Angels ; the offering of the Magi by Rubens ; our Saviour blessing the 
Children ; Filial affection exemplified in the Roman daughter; Return of 
our Saviour from Egypt ; Lot's departure from Sodom ; a Virgin, her head 
encircled with Stars, supposed the Miraculous Conception ; a female 
Penitent etc., with a column of others. The Blue Drawing-room is only 
distinguished by its blue colour damask, with Elegant Paintings, Statuary 
&c. The Winter-room has a representation of the Cardinal Virtues &c. 
The other rooms which are numerous, are distinguished as abounding 
with very Elegant Tapestry and Paintings representing the Battles of the 
Duke of Malbro' , who to be sure was very famed in History, for his 
Courage and many glorious Contests he had with the Enemy. The 
Rooms shewn to us were, the Dining-room ; the Saloon ; Green Drawing- 
room ; Stateroom ; State Bed-Chamber and the Library. The last is an 
Elegant room of about two hundred feet in length; the Window frames 
and surrounding basement of blush marble ; and the Ceiling stuccoed iu 
a most Elegant manner. It contains about twenty-four thousand Volumes, 
besides several thousands of Manuscripts. At one end of the room stands 
a highly finished Statue of Queen Ann, who presented John, Duke of 
Malbro' with this Seat, for the many glorious Deeds he had done in the 
French Wars. The Chapel is in one of the Wings, and a very fine one 
it is, having a beautiful Monument to the first Duke and Duchess. The 
Altar-piece was our Saviour taken down from the Cross. The Park is 
Eleven miles in circumference and contains many delightful Scenes ; the 
love of rural variety may be entertained here with every circumstance of 
beauty which can be Expected from diversified nature in hills, valleys, 
water, woods &c. There are not less than five or six Ships arrived here 
since my arrival, and to my very great disappointment have not received 
a single line from any of the family. This I cannot Account for, how- 
ever hope you will shortly make up for it and I shall have the pleasure 
of hearing from you all that you Enjoy the same good health I do at 
present. My best Respects to Mama, Papa and all the dear family large 
and small, with Sentiments of true Esteem, I remain your very affectionate 
brother. R. S. Van Rensselaer. 

Miss Arrietta Van Rensselaer, Cherry Hill. 

The Duke of Marlborough's magnificent residence is one hour's dis- 
tance by carriage from the town of ancient Woodstock. This earthly 
paradise was erected during the reign of Queen Anne, and presented by 
the British nation to the great Duke of Marlborough after his glorious 
victory, parliament voting $2,500,000 for that purpose. The park, con- 
sisting of 2, 700 acres, is filled with flocks of sheep and herds of deer, and 
is considered the most glorious domain the sun ever shone upon. The 
immediate grounds surrounding the palace, which is situated near the 
borders of a lovely lake, are filled with trees, plants, and flowers from 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 129 

every qunrtor of tlie L:,lol)e, tljc wliolo eiubellislieJ with lovoly walks, 
i'Duntaiiis, and water lulls. In the centre of the lawn stands a Corinthian 
))inar lo'J feet hi^h, surmounted by a statue of tlie duke. On the pede- 
stal are inscribed his public services, written by Lord BoUinf^broke. The 
principal front of the building is 350 I'eet long. The interior is niagnifi- 
cently finished, and contains a fine collection of sculpture and paintings ; 
among the latter are some of Titian's and Jlubens's masterpieces. The 
library is 200 feet long, and contains nearly 18,000 volumes. Woodstock 
was the birth place of the illustrious Hlack Prince. How dilferent too 
now is London the nietropolis of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, 
and the most wealthy city in the world with its population of 3,000,000 
to the aspect it presented in those early times. Before the conflagration iu 
1666, London was totally inelegant, inconvenient, and unhealthy, of which 
latter misfortune many melancholy proofs are authenticated in history, and 
which no doubt proceeded from the narrowness of the streets, and the 
unaccountable projections of the buildings, that confined the putrid air, 
and joined with other circumstances, such as the want of water, rendered 
the city seldom free from pestilential devastation. The fire which con- 
sumed the greatest part of the city, dreadful as it seemed, was productive 
of permanent benefit. 

A Wedding Invitation for 179G. 

Maria Gansevoort's Compliments to Miss Van Rensselaer and requests 

the honor of her Company to morrow evening at Six O'Clock. 

rn AT- Tr r. 1 r\\ ttii Wednesday Morning. 

To Miss Van l\en.«selaer, Cherry Hill. ^ ° 

My mother (then Miss V. R) has written on the invitation the follow- 
ing : " This was an invitation to a wedding September 2lind, 1796. 
Thursday evening Maria Gansevoort was married to Abraham Hun, just 
7 o'clock. N. B., the gentleman stood on the left ! There was a violent 
gust of wind with thunder, lightning and rain." These were the parents 
of our respected kinsman, Thomas Flun, M.D. 

The first tea party in Schoharie county was given by one of the Vroo- 
man family. When the enlivener was announced as ready, the party 
gathered about the round table upon which stood not a morsel of any- 
thing to eat except a liberal lump of maple sugar, placed beside each 
cup. The true ancient Dutch custom always placed a lump of sugar be- 
side each cup. In doing the honors of a tea table, the question wM yow 
bite or stir ? was always propounded. The tea was served out of a 
majestic delft tea-pot, ornamented with paintings of fat little Dutch 
shepherds and shepherdesses tending pigs, with boats sailing in the air, 
and houses built in the clouds. The olikoekjes, small round cakes with 
raisins in the centre and fried in lard, were not forgotten ; nor the koek- 
jes, small sweet cakes. Sometimes the company of eight or ten persons 
would be seated around the old fashioned genial board, each with a spoon 
eating from a single dish of supaan enriched by fresh sweet milk. At 
these primitive banquetings the utmost propriety and dignity of deport- 
ment prevailed. No flirting or coquetting. Tlie young ladies seated 
themselves demurely in their rush bottomed chairs, and knit their own 
woolen stocking.s, nor ever opened their lips except to answer any ques- 
tion that was asked them. As to the gentlemen, each of them tranquilly 
smoked his pipe a:id studied the blue and white tiles around the fire-place. 

17 



130 Legacy or Historical Gleanings. 

Capt. Win. MacTcea to Capt. Van Bensselaei'. 

Dear Sir, Alexandria, 12th January 1797. 

It is now eisht days since I arrived at this place which time I have 

employed much to my satisfaction, and was surprised at not finding a few 

lines from you as I had wrote you from New York. The evening before 

I left Philadelphia we heard of Genl. Wai/ne's death, [In December 1796,] 

this will certainly make an alteration in Affairs. You are in Mourning I 

suppose agreeable to the Genl. Orders. Let me know if you have heard 

from Visscher and when and how he is. I would say more but it is near 

post time of departure. t a- a^ tw. ^^ a l 

r f I am bir, lour very Ubedt bervant. 

Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer. Wm. Mackea. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Cumberland Line. 



Ariantie or Harriet, my mother, was the fifth child of Col. Phillip Van 
Rensselaer and Maria Sanders, born at Cherry Hill September 3d, 1775. 
She was lovely in disposition, and retained a freshness and youthfulness 
of heart even in old age. In her elevated social position she had every 
wordly advantage attainable in those "soul stirring times," was accus- 
tomed to the luxuries of wealth and fully appreciated the amenities of her 
childhood's home. While she did not by any means ignore the gayety 
and pleasures of life, she served God with a pure and unselfish heart, and 
always seemed " to walk worthy of the vocation " to which she was called. 
Gifted with a lively temperament, ever joyous and happy, with pleasing 
manners, and a general favorite with old as well as young persons, it was 
not surprising she had many suitors. One wealthy burgher seemed the 
chosen son-in law selected by my august grandmother. The good lady 
was well aware of her daughter's preference for her cousin Solomon, and 
that his love was incalculably more precious, than the worthy burgher's 
glittering gold and guilders ; but that could not be countenanced. Her 
gentle and delicate daughter marry a poor soldier cousin ! no indeed. 
She well knew that cousin was a noble minded gentleman, but it mattered 
not; and with a twinkling expression of triumph and satisfaction in my 
grandmother's eye which even her spectacles could not conceal, and an 
ominous shake of her head, would say, " I will prevent such an unwise 
step." Grandpapa De Heer Philip however fully appreciated the soldier's 
worth ; he was proud of his nephew; and all his sympathies were freely 
enlisted on his much loved daughter's side, and occasionally a merry 
twinkle was perceptible in his benignant eye as he quietly took a survey 
of the tender surveillance of his stately dame. Even in olden times the 
phlegmatic Dutchmen some times indulged in a little romance; nor was 
it surprising that De Heer Philip decided that for once the " course of 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 131 

true lovo should run smoothly." So one cold, frosty afternoon, January 
17, 1797, the good vrouw was enjoyinsi; her siesta and dozing on the 
sofa by a nice warm fire, while magnificent black Poinpey, with his crisped 
woolly head and shining negro face, his large mouth grinning from ear 
to ear displaying a set of beautiful white teeth ; with a proud and con- 
tented mien had mounted guard at the door of a certain room. Then 
Captain Solomon Van Rensselaer was, with the full consent and approba- 
tion of De Heer Philip, united in the bonds of matrimony to his loved 
Harriet by the venerable Domine Van Vranken of Fishkill, in the pres- 
ence of her father and two of her brotliers. After the happy cereujony, 
the domine and the triumphant bridegroom climbed out the back window, 
and the good old dame was none the wiser. She did not know the gallant 
and handsome Solomon was her son, till so informed a fortnight after by 
her good spouse. Then like a sensible woman as she was, with perhaps a 
shade of disappointment crossing her bright and good humored face that 
her cherished plans were thus unwittingly thwarted, made the best of 
what was inevitable and was fully reconciled to the event She was one 
who in disappointments, or indeed in every emergency turned to God 
as her helper and could say: " Blessed is he who, when the waves of 
sorrow or temptation are sweeping over him, is able to find the hand of 
God, and calmly to rest in his infinite strength." In after years when 
her own excellent husband was numbered with the dead, she made her 
home with this same daughter, receiving every care and warmest love 
from both of her dear children. It certainly was rather mysterious, and 
did seem like a preconcerted scheme, how the good domine happened to 
be on hand that special afternoon ; but he frequently was a welcome guest 
at the hospitable mansion, and most domines then as now, were never 
averse to a substantial meal. That day the clever, quizzical Cornale sur- 
passed herself in her particular forte, exquisite cookery, and the grand en- 
tertainment gave great satisfaction to the unsuspecting amiable vrouw. The 
joyful news, however, found its way to the kitchen, causing a flutter of ex- 
citement. The grinning sable dignitaries (with all of whom, the Hester kint, 
Miss Harriet, was a great favorite), loving a frolic, were entirely unanimous 
in the opinion that dust had been thrown in grandma's eyes. They rejoiced 
that their lynx-eyed old missus had for once been outwitted, while they 
affirmed the face of the bonnie bride now wore a bright and cheery look. 
The humorous jokes of the loquacious darkies, who were all " wooly-headed 
and as black as the ace of spades," was the broadest farce of that eventful 
day. After judicious consultation between the mynheer and his amiable 
vrouw, a marriage portion was given to their beloved daughter, of a fine 
tract of land which they called Mount Ho^te. This beautiful site, then 
in the country, in Bethlehem two miles from the town, was a thick forest ; 
many of the majestic trees were felled, the ground cleared and a spacious 
garden laid out with very wide walks ; the culture of tliis farm was an 
occupation of great delight to my father who had an enthusiastic love for 
agricultural pursuits, and to this Mount Hope he was brought prostrate 
and suffering from the battle ground of 1812. 

Cherry Hill, the ancient homestead, was left by my grandparents 
to their son Philip P., who was a most estimable and upright man, but 
unfortunately became involved, and after the death of that gentleman in 
1827, the place was to be sold at public auction. A friend of the family, 
Peter Boyd, Esq., wrote to my father, who was greatly surprised to know 
the fact, and at the solicitation of my mother, who could not endure the 



132 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

thought of its going out of the family, he purchased the old mansion 
with its grounds. Subsequently he sold Mount Hope to Ezra Prentice, 
Esq., its present occupant and proprietor, who revels in its luxuriance of 
beauty. After only a brief honey-moon, the groom. Captain Van Kcns.^c- 
laer, in March, 1797, went to Philadelphia with the intention of resigning 
his commission, as he very naturally desired to retire to jn-ivate life and 
enjoy the happiness of his own cherished home. The beauty of such a 
placid liie did not however seem at that time to be in store for him. At 
the war office he met General Wilkinson, and when, with the high prin- 
ciple of honor which he possessed, he informed his ci-devant commander 
that he was there with a view to resign, General Wilkinson and Secretary 
McHenry laid an embargo on that proceeding. They interposed a stren- 
uous opposition on the ground that his valued services were required for 
a delicate, perhaps dangerous duty which they were aware he would 
faithfully perform ; to aid and protect the commissioners running the 
Cumberland line. A blank furlough was given him, with the power to 
fill it at his own discretion. Though far from well, he would not refuse ; 
such a mark of confidence induced him to consent, and the heroic, self- 
denying soldier returned to bid his bride farewell for a season, and re- 
linquished all the true endearments of home, while he promptly responded 
to his country's call for further arduous duties in her service. The 
noble-minded wife, forgetting self, bade him " God speed ;" his arrange- 
ments were soon made and he en route to the army. 

Secretary of War to Caijt. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, War Ofiice, March 2d, 1797. 

The necessity of the service requiring your immediate presence, with 
your company, you will be pleased, without delay, to repair hither, where 
you will receive further orders. 

I am, Sir, with esteem. Your obed' Serv^ 

James 3IcHenry. 

I have before me a large bundle of valuable letters from which I make 
a few extracts. After a sad parting from his loved bride, he went with 
his body servant to New York ou board of one of the North river sloops ; 
it was in those days a voyage of a week from Albany, then by stages to 
Philadelphia. He says : " The roads are exceedingly bad ; myself, Jake 
and the horses are nearly worn out." 

The following is part of a letter penned seventy-eight years ago. 

Caj)t. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 
My Dear Harriet, Philadelphia, April 17, 1797. 

On Friday last I reached this place in tolerable healtli, but great de- 
pression of spirits. I have been advised by disinterested persons not to 
go on, they fear my delicate constitution cannot endure the hardships. 
I leave tomorrow and expect to arrive at Pittsburgh in about nine days, 
if the riding is not too much. The Secretary of War has advised me to 
take my own time, and not to travel in wet weather ; this however I shall 
not much attend to ; the quicker I go on, the sooner I shall return to my 
lovely wife. I shall be obliged to stay at Fort Washington longer than 
I expected to wait for necessary articles to equip my Troop. I have been 
' pleasingly confined since I came here, in sitting twice a day to have my 
Miniature taken by Stuart, a masterly artist; it was finished this evening 



^S^' Ih^' 




-^'f Jj'a-£ii'z*i-«s!tf«»w^« "^ 





Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 133 

and will follow this letter on Thursdiiy, with a rc(|uest that it may be for- 
warded to you by a careful Albany skipper. The price for painting was 
fifty DoUars, although it is extravagant, yet with much satisfaction did I 
pay for it, as it was intended to give you pleasure. The likeness is not 
as striking a one, as he took for President Washingian and Gen. Wilkin- 
son, in my eyes. Farewell my love; this time tomorrow I will be a much 
greater distance from you and that must be so for some time to come. 
Farewell, a sad word, but it must be so. God preserve you, and may 
every liappiness attend you. Farewell my dear, lovely wife look forward 
with patience to our happy meeting in October or Sooner, once more with 
you, never, never will I leave you more again, adieu, good night my 
dearest Harriet. 




Mrs. 8oIomon Van Rensselaer. 

'' The first portrait of Washington by Stuart created a great sensation 
on its appearance in Philadelphia." 

Gcqit. Van Rensselaer to Jds Wife. 

My Dearest Wife, Philadelphia April 19, 1797. 

* * * * The weather is fair. I send you my Travelling-Case, which 
I find, I cannot take with me, the enclosed key will open both locks, it 
requires however some exertion to open them; it cost me six and a half 
dollars. The case would have been of use to me if I could have taken it 
on with convenience, but I shall not incommode myself with it when I 
have one to send it to, whom I prefer should have it before myself; it is 
yours and my very soul accompanies it which you have long possessed 
as you well know * * * * The Limner tells me. if you keep the 
Miniature in your hands until the Ivory gets warm it will warp, it is in 
the case. My horses are ready and I must leave this in a few moments 
after delivering the Case. God preserve you to repay with happiness 
for the days of misery I endure in my absence from my loved Harriot. 

Your afi"ectionate Husband 
Mrs. Sol. A^an Rensselaer, Cherry Hill. SoL. Van Rensselaer. 

In its red morocco case lined with white satin was placed this exquisitely 
painted miniature ; it is on ivory, (executed by the eminent portrait painter 
Gilbert Stuart,) and is set in gold, with my father's and mother's hair in 
the center of the back. The initials " S. & H. V. R." are interwoven in 
gold letters on the glass over the hair. His noble, handsome features 
are perfect; those dark brown, flashing, speaking eyes could not bo sur- 
passed ; the black hair is well powdered and braided behind in the fashion- 
able cue. His full, wide ruffle shirt, black satin stock, his military blue 
coat with its red facings and wide red collar turned over, bright epaulets 
and black leather sword strap with United States arms inscribed on its 
shield across his shoulder, are all items of fond scrutiny to loving hearts. 
Ills wife writes : " I cannot tell you how the first sight of your Miniature 
affected me, it was sometime before I could recover myself. Methinks I 



O 



134: Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

never saw a better likeness, but as you observed rather too mueli Gravity for 
you. It is uiy coustaut couipauion aud far preferable to any other, although 
a Silent one ; could I enjoy my wish it should be my only one till the 
return of the beloved original." No wonder his tender-hearted wife wept 
with joy and was transported in ecstasy when she received this excellent 
semblance of her loved one. 

Capt. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My Lovely Harriot, Pittsburg, April 28, 1797. 

I arrived at this place in eight days precisely from Philadelphia in pretty 
good health ; having pas.sed through the beautiful valleys, romantic dells, 
and looking with your eyes at the grand, the picturesque scenery along the 
winding rivers of this noble State and over its lofty mountains ; all accom- 
plished in safety with scalp still on my head ! I found to my Sorrow that 
General Wilkinson had left this three days since for Fort Washington. I 
have some expectation of following him tomorrow, but in this I am not very 
clear, owing to the scarcity of men to man the boats down the Ohio.' Doc- 
tor Carmichael and some Officers go down in about a week, they want to 
persuade me to wait for them, but this I shall not consent to if I can do 
otherwise. I wish for the Society of no one in this part of the Country. 
It makes me unhappy to see anyone pleased who is in the situation [ once 
was happily placed. I therefore wish to be with my command; to attend 
strictly to their discipline and Police will assist me in killing time in this 
far oif country. What tedious months must elapse before I am again re- 
stored to happiness and what a great length of Territory must I pass over 
before my eyes once more encounter the dear object of its wishes, but thank 
Heavens the distance is not as great as I contemplated. I am told by the 
officers here, that I am not to go fiirther than Knoxville owing to circum- 
stances of an unforeseen nature turning up. [Knoxville in Tennessee is 
upon the Holston river, four miles from its junction with the French 
Broad and is 204 miles southeast of Lexington, Kentucky. " The city is 
delightfully situated, and affords a pleasant place of resort. It was laid 
out in 1794 and is famous for its manufacture of window glass. The caves 
and mounds in Tennessee are wonderful. In Coffee county, not far from 
Manchester, there is an ancient stone fort, enclosed by a wall, upon which 
trees are growing, whose age is supposed to exceed 500 years. This mys- 
terious fortification is situated between two rivers, and occupies an area 
of 47 acres." ] Georgia's climate I very much dreaded, it being quite un- 
friendly to a person accustomed to a colder one, but where ever I may be 
and whatever my situalion is, I shall faithfully inform you, sick or well, 
dangerous or otherwise. I therefore call upon you by all the sacred ties 
that united us, not to give yourself a moments uneasiness at any Idle re- 
ports respecting me, should there be any of an unpleasant nature prevail- 
ing ; and on your part I have not the smallest doubt, but that you will act 
with equal candor. I hope you have ere this received your Portfolio, Min- 
iature and letters sent on from Philadelphia, and that they have given 
you pleasure. I wish I had your likeness here, what very great satisfac- 
tion it would give me, I wish to Heavens you would have it taken in my 
absence, I shall arrange matters in such a manner that it will not incon- 
venience you at all. Recollect my sweet girl what happiness it will give, 
so please oblige me and let me know if you intend to make me so happy. 
Tell black Maggy, Cornale and Flora not to neglect to take good care of 
their lovely charge; was this my lot how doubly happy would I be, but 



Le(3ACY of IIlSTOllICAL GLEANINGS. 1-35 

it must be to tlie contrary and I shall submit with as much fortitude as I 
can muster, which God knows is but little, yet my duty is cleai'ly to en- 
force it. 

I left Philadelphia at 12 o'clock April 19th 1797, crossed the Schuyl- 
kill at 1 o'clock and proceeded to the Sign of Admiral Warren 23 iMiles 
where I lodged. This tavern is on the Lancaster turnpike not far from 
the scene of the massacre of part of General Wayne's detachment on 
September 20, 1777, by orders of General Howe. [" General Grey cut down 
5o Americans in cold-blooded cruelty in the well known ' Massacre at 
Paoli.' "] Moved early in the morning of the 20th, a rainy day and 
reached Lancaster that evening 43 Miles over a Turnpike road cut through 
a rich tract of land. Lancaster stands on Conostoga creek, has a fine 
court house, churches, and handsome buildings with about 8U0 houses. 
Moved early on the 21st, Passed over an intolerable bad road and reached 
a Tavern 2 Miles from Harrisburg on the Susquehanna ; this river is one 
mile across and the Current very rapid. The town contains about two 
hundred houses, chiefly of Brick, with a stone Jail and a German church; 
it is pleasantly situated on the winding river with its little islands. Eliz- 
abeth and Middle Town are small villages 1 passed through ; the houses 
are old and chiefly built of logs, the former is 17 and the latter 25 Miles 
from Lancaster, and where I lodged having come to day 36 Miles. The 
22d reached Carlisle to Breakfast after 15 miles, passed Mount Kock 7 
Miles, Shippenburg 14 Miles, and Lodged at Black's house. Gen. Washing- 
ton had his Head Quarters at Carlisle in 1794 ; there are fine stone houses, 
a college, court-house and churches. All along my route, these villages 
flourish where the Indians and wild beasts lately roamed. The 23rd 
being a rainy day I did not start until near 8 o'clock, then passed 
through Strasburg six miles where I crossed three large mountainous 
spurs called Kittatinny hills; all these mountains are full of coal with 
much iron and marble ; the valleys between the hills are of a rich, black 
soil. Skinners at the loot of the hill. I breakiasted three miles from 
the last Town, from thence to Fort Littleton is 12 miles, Irom thence to 
the top of the wonderful Sideling Hill eleven miles to another Skinners 
where I lodged, having moved 32 miles to day. Left Skinners early on 
the morning of the 24th, crossed a branch of the beautiful Juniata and 
thence to Colonel Hartleys, with whom I breakfasted. He was at the 
terrible scenes in the Wyoming valley. After a pleasant rest I proceeded 
to Bedford and lodged at the foot of the Alleghany mountains at liyans. 
The next day one of my pistols was missing, which however I found with 
some difliculty, by offering a reward, hid by one of the Boys in the Stable; 
after it was recovered I commenced my journey for the day which was 
rainy. Passed over an exceedingly bad road across the mountain, being 
15 miles over a very rocky route. At Stony Creek I breakfasted and 
from thence to Freemans at the foot of Laurel Hill where 1 lodged in 
most miserable quarters. The 2Gth was at the Old Fort Legonier the post 
of General St. Clair during the French War, and proceeded to Iliads 
where I breakfasted, 15 Miles from that to a Large Town by the name of 
Greensburg 10 Miles. [At Greensburg is a monument to the same 
Major General Arthur St. Clair.] From thence to Turtle Creek 19 miles 
where I stayed for the night having gone 44 miles. On the 27th pro- 
ceeded to Pittsburg being twelve miles and reached it at 11 o'clock where 
I found a number of my friends which in some measure relieved my de- 
pressed spirits. Farewell my dearest Harriot take good care of yourself, 



130 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

niucli is depending on it. I have written to my Father an*! otliers. May 
inuijh hap[)iness attend you prays your affectionate husband, 

Mrs. Harriot Van Kenssehier, Cherry Hill. 

Extracts from Captain Van Rensselaer's Note Book. 

The country about Pittsbur<;h is very hilly, and a few miles from here 
is the Battle-ground of General Braddock, where he was defeated in 1755. 
A B'rench Fort called Du Quesne was then standing on the Pittsburg's 
site. I continued in this place till Saturdav 29th ; the afternoon of which 
day at 3 o'clock I embarked, to navigate the Ohio river, which is one of 
the most beautiful in the world, with a gentle current and easy of navi- 
gation, in a hxrge Kentucky keel-boat [had a flat bottom, but no sails] 
loaded with Dragoon equipments and the Chickasaw annuity for this year, 
with only three Soldiers and a Quarter Master's man. In this weak state 
of defence I commenced a really dangerous and very difScult route down 
the picturesque and extensive Ohio, with a head wind and rain to comfort 
me, but the water in pretty good order and we floated quietly all night 
without any alarm from Indian foes. Early in the morning of May 1st 
just before daylight passed Wheeling 96 miles from Pittsburg. This day 
nothing of note happened as we passed along in sight of a number of huts 
on each bank and a small town. On the morning of 2d May at 9 o'clock 
landed at Muskingum (Marietta) a large and beautiful Settlement of New 
Englanders. Here I remained half an hour and took on board a Mr. 
Lowder, a printer from New York and at 12 o'clock landed him on Belpree 
Island twelve miles from Marietta. Here I was introduced to a Mr. 
Bachus and his wife from New London, and was not a little astonished 
to find so accomplished a woman in these desert wilds. Being frustrated 
in my intention of procuring forage for my horses at this place, I hoisted 
my wooden Sails and at 1 o'clock p.m. again came too, at the lower end 
of the Island, three miles and succeeded in getting hay by paying at the 
rate of 50 cts. per Hundred. Opposite this Island and a little above it, 
are the three Settlements of Belpree, each village 3 miles apart. Two 
Turkeys were on the right or Indian beach for the first time since we left 
Pittsburg, the wind continually ahead. 

3d. The wind from the South accorapanyed with rain which much re- 
tarded our progress, a few huts were to be seen on each Bank. At 1 
o'clock P.M., passed the Great Canawha river, the Town is called Point 
Pleasant, a name well adapted to the situation. Here was formerly a 
Garrison built of the Inhabitants of Virginia called together by General 
Andrew Lewis, it was some yeirs since in 1771 attacked by the Indians, 
who unfortunately killed Col. Charles Lewis, but could not carry the Fort 
which was strongly fortified with logs and entrenchments. At half past 
one, passed a French settlement on the Indian i:}ank called Gallipolice 
three miles from the last river and 100 miles from Muskingum which' we 
came in 11 hours. The Country on each side of the River was beautiful 
beyond conception with its wild scenery, tall grasses and trees. 

1th. The early part of last night was clear and the moon shone bright 
until about 11 o'clock, when a violent rain and thunder storm came on 
which lasted until near four in the morning, with so much violence as to 
put us in danger of being drove on shore. The water being high it was 
with difficulty we could proceed, and to make land it was impossible with- 
out infinite danger from the Indians. No material injury however 
happened. At 2 P.M., passed the mouth of the big Sciota river on the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 137 

N. W. of the Oliio. The lands are very rich and the Country level. The 
head waters of this river is near the Lake and is Navigable for boats 200 
mile,*, the width of it is about 150 yards. Four miles below this Island 
at a friend's Major Bellies on Turkey Creek, the old Bachelor treated me 
with <;reat politeness. After viewing his plantation (which is really 
beautiful) I again st.irted atsix o'clock. Some distance below this, passed 
the three Islands in the night, the River serene and pleasant. 

5th. In the morning it rained (juite fast, and the wind ahead, passed 
Limestone at 7 o'clock a. M., the Kentucky lauding place 60 miles from 
Lexington and the like distance from Cincinnati, a number of houses on 
each bank were to be seen. [Limestone is upon Limestone Creek and is 
now called Maysville.] 

Gth. Passed Columbia at 4 o'clock in the morning and at 5 o'clock 
lauded at Fort Washington in good order, where I at once reported my- 
self to General Wilkinson. [In those early times it was a very hazardous 
business to navigate the Ohio river. Often were the boats taken by the 
enemy, and every one on board, destroyed by the Indians. And if the 
settlers attempted to clear new fields, they did it at the peril of their 
lives. Guarded by sentinels, and carrying their arms, they hoed their 
corn fields. In 1791, some French immigrants settled on the Ohio river 
at a place, which they appropriately called Gallipolis. They had been 
swindled out of about one hundred thousand crowns in silver, by a few 
arch knaves, who, visiting Paris, pretended to own a large tract of land, im- 
mediately adjoining on the west side of ' the Ohio company's land.' These 
people lived at Gallipolis during the old Indian war. and sufiered some 
from the Indians as well as from sickness, and many privations in a far 
wilderness. Columbia was near the mouth of the Little Miami river.] 

Capt. Van Rensselaer to Ids Wife. 
My Dearest Wife, Fort Washington, May 7, 1797. 

At Fort Washington every week there is a Mail to and from that place, 
and likewise at Knoxville, therefore I shall with anxiety attend regularly 
when the mail arrives. On Thursday next you will no doubt receive my 
letter I'rom Pittsburgh informing you of my safe arrival there, and the time 
I expected to leave the Site of the old French Fort Du Quesne, or Fort 
Pitt. Yesterday a week was the time, on the afternoon of that day I set 
sail with a head wind and raining very fast. Dr. Carmichael and the 
officers advised me not to proceed on my journey with the small force 
under my command, consisting of three Infantry soldiers and a hired 
man, having in my charge the equipments for my Troop, and the valuable 
Chickasaw Indian goods for this year. The obstacles I had to encounter 
were very evident to me, but knowing how tedious it would be to wait 
ten days for Colonel Butler and the company who wished to detain me, 
in a place where there was nothing calculated to draw my attention, and 
above all the continual idea of shortening my absence from a place, where 
all that is dear and interesting to me in this life is fixed, were reasons too 
forcible for me to disregard every difficulty. Of this you may be assured 
I had my full share; in the five hundred miles I only stopped three times 
to take in wood, forage &c. T kept the boat afloat at all times, fair and 
foul weather, night and day, the responsibility was intensely felt and I 
had no disposition, through negligence to try military achievements on 
inmates of the many wigwams ever in sight. Without any marvelous 
18 



138 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

adventures I reached this place at 5 o'clock on the nioriiin<i: of yesterday 
all in good order. It could hardly be credited that I had come in so 
sliort a time under so many disadvantageous circumstances; but thore 
was no need of an affidavit all saw for themselves My pleasing expecta- 
tions of despatch were quickly blasted on being told that the horses and 
men had not all arrived. This is the case to my sorrow, nor will they 
be here in less than a fortnight contrary to the expectations of the General. 
He is much pleased with my punctuality and shows every mark of friend- 
ship, with a wish to make me satisfied with my situation. Alai/ Wth. 
General Wilkinson insisted upon my living with him in his family, which 
I have agreed to do while I remain here. Save my dear Harriot, I have 
every thing I can desire and Jake is a good boy, he takes good care of 
me. I shall be busily employed the ensuing week to get every thing in 
perfect readiness to mount the men, as soon as they arrive from Fort 
Defiance. The Saddles &c. will all want repairing, and after this is done 
and the horses a little accustomed to firing, I shall cross the Ohio on my 
route to the Cumberland in Tennessee. The General has invited me to 
take a ride with him to the big Miami tomorrow, thirty miles below this. 
To day we all dine with the Lieut. Governor of this place, I will soon 
have to prepare for the occasion, I suppose they will be pretty hlue. but 
for my part I declare off. Nine o'clock P. M. We have my dear Harriot 
just returned from the feast, all pretty merry and one or two a little 
beyond it. The afternoon was pleasantly passed, and the Dinner in great 
elegance, displayed nearly as well as the Dutchmen of Albany could have 
done it, making allowances for his being a Bachelor, it was better. The 
General showed me your Father's letter, it was couched in very strong 
terms, he wished me to continue in service and told the General to keep me 
in it. you was very much opposed to it, for which they could make al- 
loioances on account of your situation. I had rather he had been silent, 
on that business * * * Adieu, Adieu. May God bless you and keep 
you perfectly well and happy. Your Sincere FJusband 

HT o 1 -ir r> 1 Solomon Van Kensselaer. 

Mrs. Sol. Van Rensselaer, 

Cherry Hill, Albany. 

Captain Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My Dear Harriot : Lexington, Kentucky 18th May, 1797. 

* * * * Since writing to you by the last mail from Fort Washington, 
I have been ordered to this place to Inspect and expedite the completion 
of the purchase of the horses for my Troop, which I have accomplished, 
they are fine horses. I sent on all those the Quarter Master purchased 
save three that I condemned, they would not pass muster; yesterday they 
lett this, and I shall follow them in the afternoon. I have given the 
Quarter Master directions to move very slow with them, that they may 
be in good order when I receive them. I shall get at Fort Washington 
two days before them and have every thing in readiness to mount the 
men immediately on their arrival ; after this is accomplished and the 
horses a little manoeuvred I shall commence my wished for march through 
this place to the Cumberland. Then around about way of some six hund- 
red miles to Knoxville, Tennessee, where you shall again hear from me, 
and likewise before I leave this place on my return here. The people are 
very kind and friendly in Lexington, every day since my arrival I have 
dined out, and am engaged for a week if I was to stay, but how very 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 139 

differently am I inclined towards them now to what I was three years 
since. Now all company is rather an incumbrance than a pleasure to me ; 
no society can I enjoy until t return to Cherry tlill, there and only there 
can I be happy, but alas, this period is too far distant. How many uneasy 
moments must I pass away before I can possess a tranquil mind, never 
did I know how sincerely I loved you until this cruel separation. I have 
injured you more than ever I can make compensation for, I should not 
have married until after I left the Army ; but my dear Harriot, you know 
I had no thoughts of leavinfj you at that time. And when I was unex- 
pectedly called upon, I could not retire with credit. In your present 
delicate situation, you stand in need of the tender care and sympathy of 
a husband who has no other ambition but to make you happy, but this 
unhappily is denyed him at present, but you know it is not through his 
choice. Therefore keep up your spirits and let us meet with fortitude 
the misfortunes allotted to each in this life, of which we must expect our 
share, but very little can I boast of when I reflect on you. 

Write to Knoxville immediately on the receipt of this, I shall be there 
about the last of next month ; give me all the news of the day. Has 
the fever left your Father ? I am sorry to hear of the misfortune of my 
brother Killian, I saw the account in a paper before I left Philadelphia 
that he had been captured. My mother's letter to him says : Your 
Father has been to New York, since his return your brother was brought 
in on April 2od by the Schr Betsey, master (J. N. Mole iu 24 days. 

[•'Capt. Killian H. Van Rensselaer, late of the schooner Tivo Friends 
of New York port, and belonging to Thomas White, merchant of this 
city, came passenger in the Betsey. He sailed from Wilmington, N. C, 
on the 15th of February bound to Martinico, and on the Gth of March iu 
lat. 26, long. 58, he was captured by a French privateer schooner, called 
La Voitisseur, commanded by Lombar. They took Capt. Van liensselaer 
on board the privateer, he was put in irons, and deprived of much ; they 
robbed his chest of all his papers and a great part of his clothing. They 
likewise robbed the mate and crew ; then sent a prize master and six men 
on board the schooner and ordered her for Curracoa, detaining the 
captain, mate and 2 seamen on board the privateer. On the 8th, they 
spoke the sloop Industry, Capt. Lovell from Charleston, and carried into 
Jaquemel."] 

" Disagreeable news is furnished with wings and Killian's misfortune 
adds greatly to our uneasiness on my brother Robert's account, he too may 
share the same fate and I fear his want of fortitude in that case. On 
Friday Papa went to attend the funeral of the Patroon's only daughter 
she died suddenly of the colic. The first you write after receiving this 
do inclose me aj[ock of your hair I will have it put in the Back of your 
Miniature with some of mine, like sheaves of wheat. Far be it from mc 
tS~^eg you to return one moment sooner, than is consistent with honor ' 
or duty." Capt. V. R. continues, I earnestly pray your brother Robert 
may not share the same fate, should he be so unfortunate, let me beg of 
you not to take it too much to heart, it can answer no good purpose. A 
Brother is near, but recollect a fond husband is nearer. If your two 
brothers Peter and Robert have arrived, tell them I am one of their best 
wishers. I am now in great haste to get off, 

Your affectionate Husband, 
Solomon Van Rknssklaer. 
Mrs. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Cherry Ilill, Albany. 



140 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



Extracts from Cnpt. V. R's Note Book. 

May 11, 1797. At Fort Wnshington dined in Company with the Gen- 
eral and other officers at the Lieut. Governors. At Fort Washington I 
found the men of my old troop dismounted. I had not seen the fine fellows 
since the great hattle in which they bore a distinguished part. The 
meeting was as unexpected as gratifying. I immediately, on the 12tli 
passed over to Lexington, Ky., to facilitate, superintend and expedite the 
purchase of horses to mount my men, and in a few days reported myself 
and troop ready for duty : having arrived at Lexington on the morning of 
the 14th and left in the afternoon of the 18th and reached Georgetown 
12 miles after having i'orwarded the horses for my Troop, and on the 20th 
reached Fort Washington through a continual rain for 30 miles. 

21st. The horses arrived at the river, Lieut. Ball with thirty Dragoons 
went over and took charge of them. I crossed with him and receipted 
for them. 

22nd. They were crossed in tolerable order and without confusion. 
The two or three following days, the Blacksmiths were employed in Shoe- 
ing of them, and the Tarrier in trimming and Physicing them, whilst 
myself closely engaged in getting everything in readiness for the March &c. 

25th. Assorted the horses to their Kiders and on tho 26th, were for the 
first time mounted, and after being inspected by the Commander-in-Chief 
crossed the Ohio and encamped on its bank opposite Cincinnati, to prevent 
the frequent cases of drunkenness in the Troop. This day Captain Isaac 
Guion received orders to descend the River to Natchez in Mississippi, 
but did not go until the day after. Captain Ford's company also received 
orders this day and the General descended the River to the mouth of the 
Miami to the Camp of the 4th Regiment under the command of Col- 
onel Butler intended for Knoxville, and returned on the day following 
"when Captain Guion Sailed for the post of Natchez. In compliance with 
my orders received to day, I am exercising my Troop and in a few days 
■will be ready to start. [ The equivocal conduct of the Spanish authori- 
ties of Louisiana in relation to the treaty of limits &c. induced General 
Wilkinson to reinforce our military posts on the Mississippi river ; and for 
this service he selected Captain Isaac Guion, an officer of tried confidence 
and approved intelligence, who had served with General Montgomery 
before Quebec, and possessed great energy of character. ] 

General Wilkinson to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Fort Washington, May 26, 1797. 

You are, this day, to cross the Ohio river, with your troop, and to 
commence your march for Knoxville, in the state of Tennessee, without 
one moments unnecessary delay. You will proceed by easy marches, on 
the most convenient road for Fort Blount, on the Cumberland river. 
Should you discover on your approach to, or arrival at this place, that the 
Indians are hostilely disposed, you are to fall back, either to Nashville, or 
take some intermediate secure position, where your cavalry can be well 
subsisted, and wait the arrival of Lieut. Col. Commandant Butler, whose 
orders you are to receive. But should you find the Indians in a state of 
tranquility, you will proceed on to Knoxville, with due military precau- 
tion and on your arrival there, will report to the senior officer on that 
station, and require (quarters and subsistence for your men and horses, 




Legacy of HtsToiiicAL Gleanings. 141 

where you are to wait tlie arrival of (yol. Butler, utiless otherwise disposed 
of under the autliority of the President. Wishinj^ you an agreea})le tour, 
I remain with luuch friendship your obedient servant, 



^ C'^xy^^ 



Captain Van Rensselaer. 

General Wilkinson was appointed deputy adjutant general by Gen. 
Gates, and, after the surrender of Burgoyne, congress made him a briga- 
dier general by brevet. Congress was so overjoyed at the surrender, 
they allowed Col. Wilkinson, the messenger of the glad tidings, to stand 
upon their floor and announce the fact. 

Extracts from Capt. V. i2's JVote Book. 

June 4th. Remained until this day in the family of the General Lieut. 
Ball with the Troop on duty. The General, Inspectors and other Officers 
visited our camp and reviewed the Troop ; in the evening I returned with 
them and remained until the afternoon of the 5th When I received my 
Orders to march, and took leave of the General and others. This morning 
we commenced our march and reached Reads on the Dike Ridge the 20 
Miles. Seven of the men were drunk and one lost his sword, for which 
he received thirty Lashes, and another Six for his carelessness in losing 
his canteen. 

6th. In the morning commenced our Mai'ch and reached Little Station 
at 4 o'clock P.M. without any accident happening, here Lieut. Ball 
joined me with Dispatches from the Commander-in Chief for Knoxville 
&c., went to day 20 Miles. 

7th. Left the Troop under the Command of Lt. Ball and proceeded 
onward with my Servant and one Dragoon to Lexington 40 miles, with a 
view to forward him on express if a Citizen of confidence could not be 
had, and reached that Town about sunset, and proceeded to accomplish 
the business. 

8th. Dispatched the Dragoon Express, and then was employed in Scour- 
ing the country to form our Encampment &c. 

9th. The Troop arrived and took possession of a beautiful spot two 
miles from Lexington. Several of the men intoxicated and three did not 
join this day which will be all the worse for them. 

10th. The men joined. Corporal Joiuey I reduced to the ranks and or- 
dered him to receive 25 Lashes for disobedience of orders. Maynard, 
Culin and Jackson received 50 Lashes each for leaving the Troop and 
getting drunk. 

11th & 12th. Dined with the citizens who are very attentive and friendly 
to the officers. There are frequent parties visiting our Camp. The 
Saddlers and Blacksmiths are employed constantly in the necessary re- 
pairs of the Troop. 

13th. The A^olunteer Troop of horse, gives us a grand and pleasant 
Barbecue; theirs is a pretty Scarlet with Black and Silver lace. The 
social entertainment in the open air gave a day spent in harmony and 
friendship. 



142 Legacy of IIistoiucal Gleanings. 

14t]i. Mr. TJrown, brother to a Senator in Congress, with his Wife and 
a number of fine agreeable young ladies honored us with a pleasant visit. 

15th. A l^all was given in honour of the Cloth, but not feeling much 
inclined for such amusements 1 declined going but I requested Lieut. Ixill 
to attend, which he did. 

Capt. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 
My Lovely Harriot, Dragoon Camp, Lexington, Ky., June 14, 1797. 

* * * I have taken possession of a beautiful piece of ground in a 
sequestered spot two miles from Lexington, and have formed a pretty 
Camp. The Ladies and gentlemen of the City pay us frequent visits, a 
large party are to be out to day. It is 9 o'clock a. m., I have ordered 
the Trumpeter to sound for Koll call. I must attend. While I lived 
with General ^V^ilkinson in his family at Fort Washington, as an evidence 
of his confidence, not one single order was given me for the Police or 
discipline of my Troop. I was left to make such a disposition as I 
thouglit proper, it gives mepleasure that my little experience has placed 
nie beyond the unpleasant reflection of inadequacy. Since I have been 
here, 1 have received letters from the General, amongst other things he 
says, " Deliver the enclosed to Col. Butler when you meet, and send 
forward the letter for Kuoxville in such a way as your discretion shall 
direct, it is of importance. Life and Laurels my dear Boy to you." The 
letter I have forwarded by a confidential sergeant. 

5 o'clock p. M. The expected party, my lovely Harriot, have been 
here, they were quite agreeable, and 1 did the honors to the best of my 
skill. June 15th. This morning it rained a little which prevented my 
moving, but it has now cleared off, and have given directions to have 
every thing in readiness for that purpose in the morning, a little 
more time can I only devote to you. The Ball is Postponed until this 
evening in consequence of the rain. Lieut. Ball is now making prepara- 
tions for the occasion, but for my part, I am off; the perusal of your 
affectionate letter will, by far, give me more pleasure. 

I have an elegant pair of bays, these with a tine sleigh and then what 
pleasure will I have with my Harriot. Jake takes good care of them and 
t)ehaves well, he is a fine boy and makes an excellent body servant, you 
will hardly know liim. I draw provisions for him by order of the 
General. I wrote this letter at different times as 1 could find opportunity, 
or be spared from the duty of the Troop, it is written on my knee, 1 need 
not make any apology for inaccuracy in it. Mr. Ball is just going to 
Town and I must close, with the cruel word Adieu. 

Sol. Van Hensselaer. 

Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Cherry Hill, Albany. 

Extracts from Capt. Van Rensselaer's Note Book. 
June 16th. Every thing being again ready for a march, the tents were 
struck and baggage packed. At ten o'clock commenced our move through 
Lexington on the head waters of Elkhorn river, with about 9UU inhabitants. 
Our cavalry passed on in handsome order ; the streets were crowded with 
gapiuij citizens expressing their entire approbation *' at the beautiful sight," 
as they were pleased to term it. The full uniform and dragooner's heavy 
sword always carry their peculiar charm ; perhaps it is owing to the satis- 
faction felt iu knowing how nicely they can slash through the wily hi- 
dian skull, just like cutting into a round ripe pumpkin iu successful war- 
fare ! After a walker of 20 Miles encamped at a hot headed Democrats. 



Legacy of llrsTORicAL Gleanings. 143 

17t1i. Reacheil Danville twenty miles more after crossing;- the Kentucky 
and Dicks' River; a heavy rain accompanied us this day. The liij>h 
rocks or precipices being 400 feet high of Dick river are wonderful ; some 
of the banks are of lime stone and other of white marble; they are covered 
with large groves of red cedar, the bunks high on both sides. 

18th. It rained fast all day ; our clothes being wet we continued in camp, 
and were treated with much Civility by the Citizens. 

19th. Two pack horses were missing and could not be found ; proceeded 
to William Shaws, found a fine meadow for our horses. 

23rd. Having procured provisions and forage we left Shurmans, and 
after two miles passed through the small town of Greensburg and 12 
miles further brought us to the little Barren river, thence to the Blue 
Spring Grove where we encamped. The streams from some of these springs 
are quite as brinish as ocean water; the deer and other animals come to 
these licks to lap up the salt. The land here for eight miles at least may 
be called very barren in every sense of the word ; the Soil is stony, the 
grass is long and coarse affording but little subsistence for cattle. Save 
small scopes of timber in a few places, nothing but scrubby oaks are 
visible. The extent of this piece of most extraordinary hind is 100 miles 
each way, it is extremely unpleasant in warm weather and even dangerous 
to travelers. There are many curious caves of miles in length with sin- 
gular pillars and arches; there was also a spring on Green river the water 
of which was very much like oil and burnt with a fine light. 

24th. Encamped at Sinking Creek ; for thirteen miles the water was very 
bad, nauseous with sulphur and the land same as yesterday with very 
singular cavities ; the Creek disappears for some miles. 

26th. Found the 4th Regiment under Col. Butler encamped at the 
Forks of the road from Nashville I therefore advanced three miles from 
them and encau)ped at Major Wilson's 26 miles from our last encampment, 
where I got some excellent timothy and corn for the horses and Indian 
meal for the men, rain all this day. 

27th. Proceeded in the rain four miles to Gen. Winchesters, where I 
purchased seven days provisions and Forage. This is the Cumberland 
Settlements and the richest soil I ever beheld. The Fourth Regiment 
encamped near us, only a creek dividing the camps. 

Col. Butler to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Please give the Corporal a Pass to travel the Caney-fork road to 
South-west Point. I have notified the Officer at that post of your move- 
ments, and directed Capt. Sharks to provide for the Dragoons until they 
receive your orders to Join. Your Humble Servt. 

June 28th 1797 Thos. Butler L. Gen. ■ith U. S. Reg. 

The Regiment moved before sunrise fifteen miles. My Troop continued 
in Camp until near 12 o'clock, being detained by rain, when it ceased the 
line of march was taken up. Being obliged to have on hand a quantity 
of provisions and forage to last us for 150 miles (not burgagable to get 
any at the Stations in the wilderness) I directed the Dragoons to march 
on foot to .save the horses. The road being through a rich country and 
a continual thicket of cane-brake; it was very muddy in consequence of 
the rain. 

29th. Early in the morning moved through rain and over intolerable 
roads, passed the Infantry encampment, who remained there for the 



144 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

day; tlie Country was rich and well timbered. Crossed the beautiful 
Kiver Cumberland at the Cauey-fork ferry and formed our Camp on the 
South liank thereof, between the large Caney Branch and this river, 
fifteen miles. This River is very deej) and consequently the current not 
rapid. 

30th. Moved early in the morning, the Dragoons still on foot but 
the road being over a light hilly ridge the traveling is better. The 
beautiful waterfalls among the hills over which we had passed and the 
high clifi's was an impressive scene. Passed the Line (two miles south 
east) between the United States and the Cherokee Indians where we en- 
camped having gone twenty-five miles. 

July 1st. Our route to day lay through a Barren Country for about six 
miles to the forks of the Caney-fort and Fort Blount roads at the foot of 
the Cumberland Mountain. 

Capt. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My Lovely Harriot, Dragoon Encampt. July 11th 1797. 

I reached Knoxville the place of my destination on the 5th Inst., after 
a long march of six Hundred miles, which I performed in one month pre- 
cisely from Fort Washington. Not being pleased with my situation in 
Town, and Col. Butler with the Fourth Regiment not soon expected, I 
moved on the 6th to this place two miles from it, formed my Camp and 
built fine strong Stables which has engrossed all my time. * * * My 
Troop is to be stationary near this place. The Country is beautiful and 
healthy, the river scenery exceedingly fine; the mountains and valleys 
have great natural wonders, and all is most agreeable to me. Every thing 
drives on smoothly about me, not a man or horse have I lost on the march 
or here. The Fourth Regiment have lost several by desertion etc; in 
about ten days they will be here, when my Troop will probably take its 
position at Telico Block House 30 miles distant. The pleasing hope of 
receiving a number of letters from you on my arrival in this state, made 
me bear with greater fortitude the fatigues of so long a march, but Col. 
Butler is now daily expected and I hope on the first of September I 
will leave this, never to return more if you are only spared to me. My 
time is almost constantly employed in the Police and discipline of my 
Troop, business and company leave but little for writing. I have this 
moment received a letter from Colonel Butler advising me of his arrival 
at the Confluence of the Tennessee and Clinch Rivers, forty miles from 
here, in a few days he will be here, possibly before this leaves me on 
next Wednesday by the mail. Under the Knoxville head of the in- 
closed paper you will find my name mentioned, it will please you and so I 
send it on. I have a beautiful pair of Moccasins for you, and from this 
will see I intend to make a little squaw of you. I must stop with this at- 
tempt at a little liveliness, it does not correspond ■v^ith my feelings. Let 
me not look back to past scenes, it is too distressing; instead of finding 
the happy Harriot to welcome me with a tender embrace on my return 
from short visits on business I must attend to the dull routine of camp 
duty and then roused from my broken slumbers by the Trumpet before 
daylight in the morning. The Commissioners are proceeding with 
amicableness in the limit line survey, and my furlough will allow me to 
leave, if not necessarily required here. May you not be disappointed in 
spending your Birthday, Sept. 3, with me, we will celebrate it together 
and may you see many days equally happy with your doting Husband and 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 145 

fond little ones. And riuiy they crown you with Laurels that will com- 
petjsato for what you may suffer; in the character of a Mother you will 
shine in the care of your little family. q^^ 531^3^ ^^^ Farewell. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Cherry Hill. 

"Knoxville, Tenn. July 19, 1797. On the 15th inst., Captain Van 
Rensselaer with his troop of light dragoons, arrived in this town. The 
good order and soldierly appearance of this corps of horse reflect honor on 
themselves and their officers. We understand that the commissioners 
who acted under the United States, in running the line between this state 
and the Indians, have desisted from extending the line from some distance 
beyond Cumberland to Clinch river, in consequence of some dissatisfaction 
expressed by the Cherokees. Col. Hawkins & Mr. Dinsmoor, returned to 
this town a few days ago, and Gen. Pickens has remained at his camp on 
Sinking creek about ten miles from this town, though we just learn he 
will come to town tomorrow. Also that Gen. Winchester will shortly be 
here, when it is understood these vicegerents of Executive power of the 
United States will proceed to the division line between the Cherokees and 
the district of Washington and Hamilton in this state. We do them but 
justice to add, that a strict regard to the claims and rights of both nations 
(we have understood) will be the governing principle oi' these gentlemen." 

General Andrew Pickens took his first lessons in the art of war while 
serving as a volunteer in Grant's expedition against the Cherokees. He 
became a warm republican when the revolution broke out, and was one 
of the most active of the military partizans of the South. He was commis- 
sioned major general of the South Carolina militia in 1795, and was often a 
commissioner to treat with the Indians. He married an aunt of the late 
John C. Calhoun. 

The Fmiomjli. 

Knoxville, State of Tennessee July 30, 1797. Captain Van Rensselaer 
of the Dragoons is permitted to visit his Family, and to be absent during 
the pleasure of the Secretary of War. 

Lt. Col. Butler. Ja : Wilkinson. 

Lt. N. I. Visscher to Gapt. Van Rensselaer 
My dear Sir, Fort Oswego, November 16, 1797. 

How many days, and months, nay ! almost years have passed since I 
have beheld a Letter from you, and I do not suppose that I should ever 
again receive a line if I was not to write you. How strange it is that 
whenever man (I mean the majority of mankind) slip into the matrimo- 
nial noose, their friendship is at once diverged. But with me, there will 
be a glaring exception to the rule, with me; where two hearts have beat 
in unison, where providence has thrown the sweet ingredient of friend- 
ship into the rugged path of life to enable us to sail down the torrent 
with ease and safety, nothing can eff"ace the tie from my memory. No 
morbid tumor shall rankle in my breast, nor shall even the Bridal Bed 
snap asunder the tenderest ties of consariffuiniti/, affinity and friendship 
with me. Friendship when once rooted in my breast is not like the plant 
of a temperate clime when removed to a torrid zone, where the leaf be- 
comes withered, the blossom no more expands and the plant enervates and 
dies under the influende of the scorching sun. But with me it never en- 
19 



]46 Legacy of Histokical Gleanings. 

ervates, it is as impenetrable to iofection as the castle which is impregna- 
ble, is impenetrable to the sword of the open invader. You have heard 
before this of my appointment to the command of this place. Pray^when 
have you seen Miss Sanders ? I wish she would prove friendly in assistin^^ 
me to choose a partner like the turtle of the vale. I am too apprehensive 
of a rebuff, or I should request you to present my warmest esteem to her. 
I sincerely wish that my acquaintance with her was of an earlier period, 
but permit me to drop a subject which admits of so much doubt in its at- 
tainment to my happiness. This goes by Col Smith my particular ac- 
quaintance who goes in a Boat that carries your Trunk from Fort Wash- 
ington to Schenectady. I have given a certificate on Mr. Glen Agent for 
transportation, for the carriage. Present my friendship to Mrs. V. R. 
I hope you are made happy ere this by an increase of family, but mum 
on this score. Adieu, Yours. 

Capt. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. I. Vissoher. 

After remaining more than a year at Fort Oswego, Lieutenant Nanning 
I. Visscher of the Artillery, was appointed to the command of the gar- 
rison at that place. This fort was of great military importance during 
the colonial wars. The London Magazme, for the year 1757 gives an 
account of the investment and surrender of the place, it was reduced by 
the French under Gen. Montcalm. The works at Oswego at this time 
consisted of three forts, viz., the old fort on the west side of the river, 
and two forts on the east side, situated on two eminences, which latter 
were commenced the year previous, and were in an unfinished state. 
These works were very weak, and the walls of insufiicient strength to 
resist heavy artillery. The English relied for a defense upon having a 
superior naval force upon the lake but it was incomplete. The French 
were the victors and after the capitulation immediately dismantled the 
forts. 

Richard Varick to Philip Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir : New York, Nov. 28, 1797. 

1 have the Honor of acknowledging the Receipt of Mrs. Rensselaer's 
favor without date accompanied by two Cheeses and a Bag of Aragrietties 
for Mrs. Benson and myself. I should long ere now have forwarded an 
Answer with a Remittance of perishable articles, consisting of most excel- 
lent Carolina potatoes, Oranges and a pot of Brandy peaches, which are 
boxed up and have been at the Wharf and remanded on account of the 
extreme Cold Weather, and our hearing of your River being frozen up so 
as to Stop the Navigation to Kinderhook. T hope the river will open 
again, or both of us will be disappointed. While we congratulate you on 
the Birth of another Grand Daughter, and wish you and Mrs. Rensselaer 
as well as Arietta and her dear Spouse [Solomon Van Rensselaer] every 
Blessing on the Occasion, we hear with extreme Concern the continued 
Indisposition of Mrs. Elmendorf, and that you are far from being well. 
Our best wishes attend you both and may a beneficent Heaven preserve 
our friends ; to his Care and protection we cheerfully commit them, assured 
that there alone they can feel themselves safe and happy. 

With regret I mention to you the Death of Mr. Martin Hoffman of 
Mount Ross in Dutchess County (whose lady you saw with us). He died 
on Tuesday last l*etween 10 and 11, after about 24 or 26 Hours Illness of 
a Cholic. So we drop off' one after another, and wh« knows the next Pas- 
senger in that Journey. Mrs. Benson joins Mrs. Varick and Miss Laidlie 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 147 

and myself in thanks to you and Mrs. Rensselaer for your present, and in 
our best wishes lor your Health and That of our other friends of your 
family, to All whom We pray to be affectionately remembered. Accept 
the best sentiments of Respect and Affection from your Friend (who is 
called to Court in Haste). Richard Varick. 

Mr. Philip Van Rensselaer, Cherry Hill, near Albany. 

Secretary of War to Capt. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, War department, 25 April, 1798. 

The Service requiring your immediate presence with your Company, 
you will be pleased to join it with all convenient Speed. 

I am Sir with regard Your most obedt Serv. 
Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany. J-'^^IES McHenry. 

Col. Uodgdon to Capt. Van. Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Philadelphia, 26th November, 1798. 

The Generals Washington, Hamilton and Pinckney are here making 
with the Assistance of the Secretaries an arrangement for bringing into 
effect the contemplated Army, if you have any particular claims to pre- 
fer I think you ought to be here as early as possible, for it is not expected 
General Washington will remain an hour longer than is Necessary to 
compleat this business for which his information and Station peculiarly 
fit and entitle him. I have no doubts deserving Ofiicers already in Serv- 
ice will be properly noticed, yet I think it best they should urge their 
pretensions personally. In haste adieu. If I can Serve you, command 
me. Yours very sincerely, 

n . o 1 ^7- -o 1 Samuel Hodgdon. 

Capt. Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

Invitation from General Thomas Pinckney. 
Mr. Pinckney requests the Honor of Mr. Renslaer's Company at 
Dinner on Monday the 23d Febry, at i past 5 oClock. 

General WasJiington to John Tayloe. 

Dear Sir : Mount Vernon, 23 January, 1799. 

The Gazettes, which, I presume, you have seen, having announced 

your appointment as Major in the Regiment of Light Dragoons, I shall 

add no more than a wish that it may be acceptable to you, as it is a very 

honorable one for any gentleman who has not been in or seen much service. 

The other Major now is, and has been in the dragoon service several 

years a Captain, is a man of family, genteel in his person, has given 

proofs of his gallant behavior, and was wounded in General Wayne's 

victory over the combined Indian force in the year 1794.' Colonel 

Watts, you will no doubt have heard, was esteemed one of the best cavalry 

officers we had in the Revolutionary War, and whose merit is particularly 

well known in this state. In a word, I believe it may be said, that a more 

respectable corps of officers cannot well be than this, if all the appoint- • 

ments are accepted. 

With great esteem and regard, I am, dear Sir, 

Your most obedient, humble servant, 

Turri Ti' Ai.nT ,.A- Go. Washington. 

John layloe, i^sqr., At Mount Airy. 

' Solomon Van Rensselaer, of Albany, subse<iueully a geuLTiil, and tln^ hero of 
Queenstown. 



148 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Colonel Tayloe of Richmond county, liavini; just been elected to the 
senate of Virginia after a fatiguinjr contest, hesitated before acceptinrr this 
appointment in the army, on the ground, as he wrote to General Wasli- 
ington, that if he should accept, his seat in the senate would inevitably 
be filled by an opponent of the administration. Congress called Gen. 
Washington from retirement to take command of the army. He selected 
those he could rely on and sent his trusty General Hamilton who cherished 
my father as a friend and kinsman for him. In the presence of Gen. 
Hamilton and Gen. I'inckney he questioned him in regard to the state of 
Lis wounds, and in January, 18U0, appointed him a major of cavalry. " By 
the law," says Major Van Rensselaer, " subsequently enacted for reducing 
this army, two troops of cavalry were retained without a field ofiicer, I of 
course, was among the disbanded, but not until after every eflbrt in my 
favor had been made by Governor Jay, the gallant but ill-used Gen. 
Schuyler, General Hamilton, and all the great Federal leaders of the day 
to have me retaioed in service." 

Gen. Schuyler to the Secretary of War. 
Dear Sir, Albany, Octr. 8, 1799. 

As it seems of importance to the Community that Military officers 
should as much as possible, be selected from that class of Citizens whose 
property renders them interested in, and attached to the public weal. If 
in that class competent characters can be found; Under this impression 
I deem it a public duty, respectfully to draw the attention of Government 
to one who in my opinion and in the estimation of our Citizens, is every 
way worthy. Captain Solomon Vao Rensselaer is the eldest Captain of 
Dragoons of the Army of the United States & who wishes to continue in 
the service, hoping that from his standing in that Corps, he may with 
propriety, solicit promotion to the rank of Major therein. Of his military 
character. Government is probably well advised ; his civil one, is marked 
with prudence, sobriety, integrity and patriotism. As it will afi'ord much 
satisfaction here and to many of your friends of the Government, to see 
its patronage extended to so very worthy a young Gentleman, permit me 
to entreat your countenance in his favor, with our worthy President. 
I am Dear Sir, With great regard & esteem 

Your obedient Servant. 
Hon. James McHenry &c., &c.. Secretary War. ^^- Schuyler. 

Lieut. N. I. Visscher to Major Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Fort Niagara, Nov 14, 1799. 

After a long lapse of time I have again presumed to address you. I 
have from your long silence supposed, that your friendship towards me 
had ceased, yet, I cannot conceive that the juvenile warmth so early 
kindled into benevolence and brotherly affection, and which had for years 
been cherished with iho greatest reciprosity, should thus fade like the 
Jailing leaf. I think my conjectures must be right, for I cannot conceive 
that any material change could on your part have happened since I left you, 
save your rank and preferment in life, but this could not, and I am almost 
persuaded that it has not effected the smallest iota of change in you. On 
my part, fortune has frowned with its severest dispensations on me in the 
lottery ui' promotion, and my humble rank makes me despair of ever 
glittering as a Soldier, or acting a conspicuous part in the Science 
of War. To continue speaking of myself (and which I do with difli 



Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 



149 



dence) I have for a year or two been more particularly engaged in scien- 
tial pursuits, but my application has only been conducive of evincing hov? 
ins>{/n.i/!cant is man, and comparatively speaking, I have been left 
something in the same way, that Juno left Ixion, fully convinced of the 

truth, that ''at twenty man 
suspects himself a fool, knows 
it at 30, and at 40 " &c., thus 
have I in my searches arrived 
at the second stage, too well 
impressed with my deficiency 
of education, "and the thou- 
sand natural shocks that flesh 
is heir to," grieved to death 
that I am not capacitated to 
act a more shining part. 1 am 
sorry to inform you that my 
religious tenets have under- 
gone some change, but on this 
I must for the present be silent, 
and request the same of you 
to this point. I find that I 
have in this Letter been quite 
an egotist, but I write to you 
as an old friend and compa- 
triot, and with such, strict 
formula is therefore not neces- 
sary. I have lately met with a 
rebufi" in application to Gene- 
ral Hamilton for leave of absence. I shall to-day write my ultimatum to 
the General on that score, for I am determined no longer to serve udder 
the auspices of this Frenchman, it will not be till sometime in the winter 
that I can expect to leave this, till then, 

I remain as usual, your afli'ectionate 




N. I. VisscnER. 




Major Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Mr. Visscher returned to Albany and subsequently we read ; 

" Married, on Thursday Jan. 8, 1807 at Albany, by the Rev. John M. 
Bradford, Mr. Nanning I. Visscber, Merchant, to Miss Catharine Glen 
Van Rensselaer, daughter of Colonel John I. Van Rensselaer, both of 
Greenbush." 

Alexander Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis, British West 
Indies. He was of Scottish descent by his father; Fi-enchhy his mother. 
Fort Niagara was under the supervision of Gen. Hamilton. 

In 1798, when an invasion was apprehended from the French, and a 
provisional army had been called into the field, President Adams bad ofi"ered 



150 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

the chief coiumand of this army to Gen. Washington, who consented to 
accept in case Hamilton should be chosen second in command, with the 
title of inspector general. He succeeded in bringing the organization and 
discipline of the army to a high degree of excellence. The chief com- 
mand devolved on him at the death of Washington iu 1799. 



CHAPTER Vn. 

Troublous Times. 



President John Adams transmitted to the congress of tlie United States 
a letter received from Tobias Lear, Esq., private secretary to General 
Washington, communicating the sad intelligence that : " On the 14th day 
of December 1799, General George Washington breathed his last at 
Mount Vernon in the 69th year of his age." House of Representatives, 
Dec. 18, 1799, Philadelphia. Mr. Marshall rose and addressed the 
Speaker in the following words : " Information, Sir, has just been received 
tliat our illustrious fellow citizen, the commander-in-chief of the American 
army, and late President of the United States, Our Washington is no 
more ! the hero, the sage, and the patriot of America, the man on whom in 
times of danger every eye was turned, and all hopes were placed, lives 
now only in his own great actions, and in the hearts of an aflfectionate and 
afflicted people." 

" Philadelphia December 20. In consequence of the afflicting intelligence 
of the death of General Washington, Mrs. Adams's drawing room is de- 
ferred to Friday the 27th, when the Ladies are respectfully requested to 
wear white, trimmed with black ribbon black gloves and fan, as a token 
of respect to the memory of the late President of the United States. The 
Ladies of the officers of the general government will please to wear black." 

" Washington is no more ! How shall we express our grief on this dis- 
tressing event ; with what language shall we give vent to the full feelings 
of our hearts. It is true, he had reached the summit of human honor, 
and was ripe for immortal Glory. It is true, he had retired, in a degree, 
from public office, to the walks of rural life. It is true, the government 
of our country has devolved on wise and faithful men ; yet Washington 
was still our guardian, our pride and our defence. His reputation was a 
bulwark, and a shield, under whose broad and protecting shade America 
reposed with unbounded confidence. He led our armies amidst the perils 
of revolution to victory. His virtues, his wisdom hushed to peace the 
voice of discord, and consolidated these states under one firm government. 
Heaven lent him to us, to make us a nation, and to render us prosperous, 
powerful and happy. Having accomplished his high errand, he is now 
recalled and we are overwhelmed with grief He was taken ill on Friday. 
An intimate friend asked him if be wished to have anything done on the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 151 

# 

arrangement of bis temporal affairs; he shook his licad and ropliod, 'no 
I tliank you, for my books are all posted to Tuesday.'" 

" The Common Council of Albany N. Y., on hearing the melancholy 
tidings of the death of General Washington, came to the following 
resolution : 

" Resolved, That the Bells of this City be tolled from three to five 
o'clock this afternoon ; [Dec. 23d] and that the Members of this Board 
wear Crape round the left arm for the space of six weeks, as a testimony 
of respect to the memory of Lieut. Gen. Washington, deceased." 

During the tolling of the bells, minute guns were fired by the corps of 
U. S. Artillery stationed in this city, under the command of Captain 
John McClallen. The churches in this city were dressed in Mourning 
on Sabbath, and appropriate discourses delivered. 

Funeral Procession in Albany. 

Thursday, January 9th, 1800, was devoted by the citizens of Albany 
to the performance of military and civil honors in memory of? the beloved 
and venerated Washington. The concourse of citizens, and inhabitants 
of the vicinity was uncommonly numerous. A deep and mournful silence 
hung over all ranks, and gave the most impressive testimony of a pervad- 
ing heart-felt grief at the irreparable loss of a character uniting such un- 
exampled virtue and public worth. The artillerists of the United States 
began the solemnities at daybreak, by firing sixteen guns in quick suc- 
cession, and continued firing a gun every half hour until the signal was 
given by three guns for the procession to form. At ten o'clock, the military 
paraded in Watervliet street, under the command of Major Solomon 
Van Rensselaer of the army of the United States, as marshal. Capt. 
McClallen as oflicer of the day, assisted by Adj. Wendell and Lieut. 
Treat directed the procession. 

[In June, 1799, we find regarding Hearses : " It is in contemplation 
to bury on hearses, instead of bearing on the shoulders. This certainly 
will be an excellent substitute for bearers, who are inevitably exposed to 
the putrid exhalations of dead bodies, with which they are almost in living 
contact. It is to be hoped that no ancient prejudices in favor of an old 
custom will prevail against propriety and expedience, for the life of no 
man ought to be endangered if it can be avoided."] 

The hier was received on the left of the line, drawn up in open ranks 
with arms presented, the olficers, colors, and music saluting. Minute 
guns firing at a distance, during the procession. At 11 o'clocjk by a si"-nal 
of two guns, in immediate succession, the procession moved iu tlie follow- 
ing order : Cavalry with swords reversed, Drums muffled, colors reversed 
and in mourning, Band of Music, instruments dressed in crape. Pall 
Bearers were : Col. Lush, Col. Wendell, Gens. Ten Broeck, Van Home, 
Schuyler, Gansevoort. General's Horse led by 2 black men in mourn- 
ing with white turbans. Military Associations in uniform and full 
mourning. Law Society of young gentlemen wearing crape with 
badges trimmed with black ribbon ; their president in full mournin"-. 
Having arrived at the North Dutch Church, the procession halted, the 
troops formed in two lines, with open ranks; the whole body of military 
leaning on their arms reversed. The bier, preceded by the officers of 
government, and the clergy, passed through to the centre of the middle 
aisle of the church. The officers of the army, the corporation of the city 
and the respective corporations then followed, succeeded by the several 



152 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

societies in reversed order, the citizens following. As the bier was enter- 
ing the church, a solemn chant, with accompaniments was sung- by Miss 
Lilly. The walls, pulpit and the stage erected for the orator, were draped 
with black cloth. The solemnities in church were opened with prayer 
by the Rev. John JJassett. Funeral Oration by Wui. P. Beers, P^sq. 
Concluding Prayer by the ilev. Mr. Nott. Anthem in full chorus. The 
vocal accompanied by instrumental music was very fine. The bier was 
then removed in front of the church where the last military honors were 
paid to the memory of the deceased. While the procession was moving 
the bells of the respective churches were tolled, they all had been pre- 
viously muffled. The military presented a splendid appearance. 

On Saturday, February 22d, 1800, Washington's birthday, a sermon 
was preached by the Rev. John B. Johnson (at the request of the legisla- 
ture of the state) on the death of W.ashington. The text was from 1st 
Chronicles 29th chapter, 28th verse. " And he died in a good old age, 
full of days, riches, and honour." The church also at this time was draped 
with black. In the afternoon an oration was delivered in the Court House. 
Our beloved Washington is no more. He has descended to the house ap- 
pointed for all living, followed by the tears of a nation. 

General Hamilton to the Secretary of War. 
Dear Sir, New York, August 8th, 1800. 

Major Rensselaer, who was eldest captain of dragoons before the late 
augmentation of the army, was under that augmentation promoted to a 
major. He has some time since devoted himself to military affairs, as a 
profession for life, and is unwilling to quit. For my part I have conceived 
there was a discretion in the president on this subject, which may be ex- 
ercised in favour of the major. A field officer for the cavalry appears to 
me in every view proper. For the character of Major Van Rensselaer, 
as an officer, I refer you to Gen. Wilkinson, with whom he served. The 
inquiry I know will result greatly in his favour, and as a man, there is 
none more worthy : he is a kinsman of Mrs. Hamilton. 

With esteem and regard 

The Hon. Samuel Dexter, Secretary of War. ^ Hamilton 

Oeri. Hamilton to Gen. Wilkinson. 
Dear Sir : 

I have received your letter from Washington, my wishes in every thing 
accord with yours. I shall be glad of every opportunity of brightening 
the charm. As soon as possible 1 will send you the information you desire. 
A change of office has deranged my Military papers and will occasion some 
delay. Major Rensselaer unwilling to quit goes to ascertain the possibility 
of remaining. I am of opinion that the thing is still in the discretion of 
the President. You I know are his friend. 

Yours truly 

To General Wilkinson. A. H. 

General Hamilton was a noble man, quick to do justice to others if in 
his power. In speaking of General Washington, between whom and him- 
self a coolness had taken place towards the close of the war, and the 
colonel had left General Washington's family, he says, " all appointments 
to office, wherein he was especially called to exercise his own judgment, he 
nobly divested himself of sympathy or antipathy, and made what he con- 
sidered the fitness of the agent to the office the ground of his choice. 



Legacy of IIistohical Gleanings. 153 

There had been for sometime such a stanJiuji;, or misunderstanding, be- 
tween us, that I l-.ad no more expectation of office, than I had of being 
appointed pope's nuncio, when 1 received the invitation to take charge of 
the treasury department." The coolness was caused by the following 
malapropos casualty. The army was encamped in New Jersey, General 
Wasliington was just mounting his horse, to visit his advanced post, when 
he recollected a letter he had recently received from the British com- 
mander, whicli it occurred to him he might have occasion for whilst at 
the lines. He called Colonel Hamilton, and requested him to hand the 
letter to him. The colonel returned to the office, but not being able to 
place his hand on it, reported, tliat it was mislaid. The general replied, 
" I must have it." Search was again made without efiect, and Colonel 
Hamilton returning, repeated that the letter had been mislaid, and ex- 
pressed his sorrow at not being able to find it. The general rejoined with 
warmth,'" Sir, you shall find it." Hamilton was astonished, but replied 
r-omptly, " I shall find it, sir, but must let you know, that in addressing 
me. you do not speak to a menial." The occasion was honorable to the 
parties ; it furnished General Washington an occasion for the display of 
his magnanimity, and Col. Hamilton an opportunity to assert his personal 
dignity and independence of mind. Colonel Hamilton retired from head 
quarters, but was appointed to the command of a battalion in the elite 
corps, at the head of which he stormed a redoubt during the seige of New 
York before the surrender of Cornwallis, Whilst secretary of the treasury, 
he was ex officio one of the cabinet counselors of President Washington ; 
and such was the confidence reposed by that great man in his integrity 
and ability, that he rarely ventured upon any executive act of moment 
without his concurrence. 

There had been serious divisions in the federal party on account of 
President Adams's course in the appointment of diplomatic agents for the 
negotiations with the French government before that government had 
officially signified its willingness to receive them. Timothy Pickering 
and James McHenry were in Adams's cabinet but opposed to him. Mc- 
Henry was desired to resign, which he did, and Samuel Dexter had been 
chosen secretary of war. The event caused much excitement, bitter 
animosities prevailed, while criminations and recriminations ensued. The 
alien and sedition laws were used adroitly by the democrats to excite the 
people against Adams's administration and the federal party. Burr, the 
most unscrupulous intriguer of the day, worked incessantly ; the result 
was, the triuaiph of the democratic party over the federalists. 

Extract of a Letter from Gen. Wilkinson to the Secretary of War. 

City of Washington, August 9th, 1800. 
* * * General Hamilton warmly recommends the retention of 
Major Van Rensselaer in service; but I fear the ground he takes is not 
tenable, though the circumstance is undoubtedly essential to the service, 
and is devoutly to be desired, as the major is a gem worthy preservation. 
A squadron of cavalry without a leader, is an unseemly thing; and not 
unlike a body without a head, from which much good cannot be expected. 
Mr. Van Rensselaer's pretensions to patronage are peculiarly strong. On 
the 20th August, 1794, he received a shot through his lungs, at the head 
of the troop. At the reduction of the then army, he continued in service, 
and on the levy of the late contingent force he was taken from his troop 
20 



154 Legacy of IIistohical Gleanings. 

and promoted to a majority. The disbanding this force has, T fear, 
thrown him out of service, unless you may judge proper to retain him on 
the ground of expediency, until the president or legislature muy be con- 
sulted. Certain it is, he is essential to the formation and discipline of 
the squadron, which, without a chief, presents an original spectacle. 

But he was among the disbanded at the reduction of 1800 ; and after 
that period, although anxious for a military appointment to which he 
would have done honour, his politics, as a good i'ederalist, opposed an in- 
superable bar to his applications. The strong; party feeling between 
federalists and democrats was strongly developed. 

Governor Jay to the Secretary of War. 
Sir, Albany, 19th Nov., 1800. 

Whether a major for the cavalry of United States should be retained 
in service, is a question on which it would not be proper for me to make 
any remarks. But if it should be deemed expedient that such an officer 
should be retained, I take the liberty of informing you, that, from what I 
have heard and know of Major Solomon Van Rensselaer, who wishes to 
devote himself to the military profession, I really think he merits the at- 
tention of government. 

His qualifications and conduct as an officer have probably been made 
known to you by Gen. Wilkinson and others. His character here as a 
citizen and a gentleman attracts general esteem ; and for my own part, I 
consider him as one of the most valuable and promising young men that 
I know. I have the honour to be, with great respect, 

Sir, your most obedient servant, John Jay. 

The Honourable Samuel Dexter, Esq , Secretary at War. 

Governor Jay, perceiving it was the policy of the democratic party or 
those in power, not to accede to his suggestions, subsequently gave to 
Major Van Rensselaer the best office in his gift, adjutant general of 
New York state. Regarding which, Gen. V. R. says : " Soon after, I re- 
ceived the appointment of Adjutant General of the militia of this state, 
under that great and good man Gov. Jay. This appointment I held during 
the respective administrations of his successors Governors George Clinton 
and Lewis; for nine years during Governor Tompkins's administration, and, 
though subsequent to the events on which the mention of these facts is 
intended to bear, for nearly the whole period of Governor DeWitt 
Clinton's." These marks of consideration and of confidence were from 
such high sources, and justly obtained. After the completion of John 
Jay's mission to England to obtain the evacuation of the forts which that 
power still held on the frontiers of the [Tnited States contrary to the treaty 
of 1783 ; compensation for losses suffered by American merchants from 
the seizure of their vessels, having cargoes for France, &c., he was elected 
to the gubernatorial chair for the second time in 1795, two days before he 
landed at New York. 

He was the first governor who set the beautiful example of proclaiming 
a day of public thanksgiving in this state. In 1815, he was appointed 
president of the Westchester Bible Society, and in the ensuing year, one 
of the vice presidents of the American Bible Society; in 1821, he became 
president of this society, which office he held till 1828, when he resigned 
on account of the infirmities of age. He died at Bedford May 17, 1829, 
aged 84 years. Mrs. Jay accompanied her liusbaud to Europe and on 
leaving Paris in 1784, among the souvenirs presented by Madame de la 



I 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 155 

Fayette to her, were t'.vo arm-cliairs, embroidered by her own liauds. The 
Jay treaty at that time was uaiver.sally applauded, Hamilton wrote to him 
'' The New England people talk of making you an annual fish-oifering." 

Oen. Wilkinson to Maj. Van liensselaer. 

My dear Van, Pittsburgh, Dec. 29, 1800. 

Your letter enclosing the testimonials of Governor Jay, soon reached 

me here and I immediately transmitted them to the Secretary of War, 

with every thing I could say. Your Brother [Kilian H.] will be appointed 

beyond Doubt. Mrs. Wilkinson is with me, and in Good Health. I 

hope this may find you and your fireside comfortable and happy. Visscher 

is on the Wing and I have one Moment only in which to assure you of 

my unalterable attachment. t \m 

Ai • (J 1 Tr u 1 Ml Jas, Wilkinson. 

Major bolomon Van Keusselaer, Albany. 

* * * Kilian H. Van Rensselaer was a very active and enter- 
prising man, and particularly as a seaman was capable, very able and 
accomplished. We have good reason for saying this much, as by his 
extraordinary exertions on board a vessel in which we were largely in- 
terested, in a very severe gale of wind and a violent storm, the crew being 
nearly all frozen, it was by his exertions alone that the vessel was saved 
and brought into port. We do therefore recommend him as a seaman 
well qualified for any Station he may engage in. 

David Gilston. 

New York, Deer. 17th, 1798. Nathn : G. Ingraiiam. 

Kilian Henry Van Rensselaer was the second child of Major General 
Henry K. Van Rensselaer and Alida Bradt, was born at Greenbush, 
Rensselaer county, February 17, 1769. He was a remarkably fine looking 
stately gentleman and much beloved by all. 

Secretary of War to Kilian H. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, War Department, 18th February 1801. 

The President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate has 
appointed you a Lieutenant in the first Regiment of Artillerists and En- 
gineers in the Service of the United States. 

You will be pleased to notify me of your acceptance or non-acceptance 
immediately on receipt hereof; and should you accept, at the same time re- 
port yourself to Major Thomas H. Gushing, Inspector, City of Washington. 

I am Sir, with much respect, Your Obedt. Servt. Sam'l Dexter. 

Kilian H. Van Rensselaer Esqr., Spring Hill near Albany. 

" Kilian Van Rensselaer, Esq., of Greenbush, is promoted to command 
the George Washington, of 32 guns and 350 men, now lying at Newport, 
where she arrived on the 12th inst. Captain Van Rensselaer passed through 
New York on Saturday December 1800 on bis way from the Seat of 
Government, to take charge of the above frigate. He is to proceed with 
all possible dispatch to the West India station.'' 

When Mr. Van Rensselaer was making an efi'ort for this appointment, 
before Mr. Dexter came into ofiice, in a letter to his brother, the major, 
he says : " Mr. McHenry our Secretary oi' War observed to me, that he 
should be very happy to see one o? our Name in the U. S. Navy; he also 
mentioned that he should be very happy to see me conduct myself, in my 
professional Ijine, as^o« have done in yours. He passed a number of 
very flattering Encomiums on yonr prudent Conduct and abilities which 
he desired me to imitate." 



156 Legacy of IIistopjcal Gleanings. 

Kilian H. Van Rensselaer was a lieutenant in the navy, a very brave 
and proud spirited man who aimed at a high position in life. After his 
promotion he sailed for, and arrived at the West Indies in safety, but iell 
in a duel at Cape Francis in Hispaniola at the early age of 32 years on 
Tuesday, March 17th, 18U1, with an English naval officer on that station. 
The cause of this duel was an insult to our country and its officers, which 
the patriotic scion of the Van Rensselaer family would not submit to, and 
a challenge was the sad consequence. In maintaining the dignity due to 
our " Star Spangled Banner " he believed in resorting to coercive mea- 
sures if necessary, and evinced the same nobleness of spirit, that was sub- 
sequently manifested by General John A. Dix, when he issued his famous 
order, January 29, 1861. " If (my one uttevvpts to liaul down the Ameri- 
can flag^ SHOOT HIM ON THE SPOT." This noble officer was another 
victim to that mistaken code of honor, which has so frequently sent brave 
hearts prematurely to the silent grave, sacrifice to a false view of laws. 
He now rests in a far off' sunny land, beneath the moss-covered stone, 
under the massive branches of stately trees, shielded by the luxuriance 
of tropical foliage and glittering blossoms. A. younger brother writes : 
" Kilian being of a magnanimous and forgiving disposition, having by lot 
the first shot, fired his pistol in the air. The English officer, more bull- 
dog like, took deliberate aim and shot him down ; for which act, my and 
his father, and his other brother, your father, never forgave the English 
nation. The old hate keeps good in the blood of the family. I have dur- 
ing life hoped for an opportunity to test it ou one of the English race, 
but now I am fast passing away." In 1621, the _/ir.s;l duelxn New England 
was fought with sword and dagger between two servants. Both were 
wounded, and they were sentenced to have their heads and feet tied 
together and so to be 24 hours. 

The People of the State of New York by the Grace of God Free & 
Independent. To Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esquire Greeting. 

We reposing especial trust and confidence as well in your patriotism, 
conduct and loyalty as your Valour and readiness to do us good and faith- 
ful Service, Have appointed and constituted and by these presents Do 
appoint and constitute you the said Solomon Van Rensselaer Adjutant 
General of the Militia of our said State : You are therefore to take the 
said Militia into your charge and care as Adjutant General thereof and 
duly to exercise the Officers and Soldiers of the said Militia in Arms who 
are hereby Commanded to obey you as their Adjutant General and you are 
also to observe and follow such orders and directions as you shall from 
time to time receive from our General & Commander-in Chief of the Mili- 
tia of our Said State or any other your superior Officer according to the 
Rules and discipline of War and to do & perform all other acts and duties 
to the said office of Adjutant General by law appertaining in pursuance of 
the trust reposed in you and for so doin^ this shall be your Commission, for 
and during our good pleasure to be signified by our Gounc il of Appointment. 
In Testimony whereof, We have caused our Seal for Military Com- 
missions to be hereunto affixed. Witness our trusty & well 
[Excelsior] beloved John Jay Esquire Governor of our said State Gen- 
eral and Commander in Chief of all the Militia and Admiral 
of the Navy of the same by and with the advice and consent of our said 
Cduncil of Appointment, at our City of Albany the twenty-third day of 
January in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred andone, and 
in the twenty-fifth Year oi'onv Independence. Daniel Hale, Secry . 

Passed the Secretary's Office the 27th January 1801. 



Legacy of Historical GLHANmns. 157 

When the army was disbanded, Major Van Ilensschier went into civil 
pursuits, but, after the death of Adj. Gen. Van Home, was called by 
that i;rcat and <2;ood man. Governor John Jay, to the responsible position 
of adjutant general of New York state on January 23, 1801. His com- 
mission is signed by John Jay, governor, and Daniel Hale, secretary, which 
office he retained, notwithstanding the high pcditical excitement which agi- 
tated the state, for twenty- two years. This was during the succeeding ad- 
ministrations of Governors George Clinton, IMorgan ]>iewis, Tompkins, and 
for nearl}'' the whole of that of Gov. DeWitt Clinton ; the latter was, sub- 
sequent to the time he rendered such important and brilliant service, in 
his country's behalf, in the war of 1812. At this period the gallant 
major was appointed an officer in the North Dutch church. The first 
time he went around at the close of the sermon as an acting deacon, with 
the plate for alms, he was closely observed by his companions. During 
the collection, on handing it to our greatly beloved Dr. William Bay, 
since deceased, who was seated at the head of his pew, his patience was 
sorely tested. The fun loving docter, with a twinkle of his merry eye, 
for some motuents fumbled in his vest pocket to find his money, thinking 
thus to embarrass the church officer. With imperturbable gravity, the 
young deacon waited a suitable time, and then, with inimitable composure 
put his hand in his own pocket, and taking out a penny, handed it to the 
mischievous, conscience striken physician. I have heard Dr. Bay relate 
this incident with great glee, and say the tables were completely turned, 
that all the mortification was his own ; for it made a little sensation in 
the church, causing the risible faculties of not a few of the devout wor- 
shipers to be exercised at the ingenious device of the young soldier. 

" It is with deep regret that we announce the death of the Hon. Major 
General Philip Schuyler at Albany on Sunday evening Nov. 18, 
1804, in the 71st year of his life. A man eminent for his useful labors, iu 
the military and civil affairs of our country. Gen. Schuyler was born in 
Albany on Nov. 22, 1733. In the dim galleries of the past, where now 
hang the portraits which commemorate the good, the gifted, and the brave, 
who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their honor to the cause of 
liberty in the stormiest days of the revolution, no one more deservedly 
challenges admiration than does Gen. Schuyler. Among all those grand 
actors in the heroic history of our country, whose shadowy outlines arc 
now but faintly visible through the smoke of revolution and the haze of an 
intervening century, surely none should be more proudly recognized than 
General Philip Schuyler, especially by the citizens of Albany. At an 
early age he began to display his active mind and military spirit and was 
a captain at Fort Edward iu the year 1775. He was with Jjord Howe 
when he fell by the fire of the enemy at the north end of Lake George in 
the summer of 1758 : and he was appointed to convey the body of that 
young and lamented nobleman to Albany where he was buried, with ap- 
propriate ceremonies in the Episcopal church. He was a practical, not a 
theoretical statesman ; an active, not a visionary patriot. He was wise in 
devising, enterprising and persevering in the execution of plans of great 
and public utility. The death of such a man is truly a subject of private 
and of public sorrow. On Wednesday his remains were interred with 
military honors, in the family vault of the Hon. Abraham Ten Broeck. 
The military under command of Major S. Jjansing were drawn up in Wash- 
ington street ; and on the appearance of the corpse it was received by 
the line with presented arms, saluted by the officers and by the standard, 



158 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

wliici) was enshrouded with crape, and with mehmcholy music by the band. 
The military theu preceded the bier in open column and inverted order 
with arms reversed, the band playing a dead march. The pall was sup- 
ported by Chancellor Lansing, Stephen Lush Esq., Abraham Van Vechlen, 
Esq., Peter W. Yates, Esq., Col. Van Vechten, .John V. Henry Esq., 
Mr. James Caldwell and Mr. Barent lileecker. On the top of the cothn 
was the General's hat and sword, with boots and spurs reversed across the 
horse. His grey horse was led by two black servants dressed in black 
with white turbans. The streets were lined with people, doors and windows 
were filled, and even the house tops were not without spectators to behold 
the melancholy procession, and to pay their last offices of respect to the 
deceased. During the procession's advance, there was a regular dis- 
charge of minute guns i'rom Prospect Hill, by a detachment of the ar- 
tillery." 8ubse(jueully his remains were removed to the Albany Rural 
Cemetery. In LS71, Mrs. Mary 11. Miller, a grand-daughter of General 
Schuyler, erected, at her own expense, a costly granite monument over 
his remains, in one of the finest plots on the domain given by the trustees 
of the cemetery. It is eminently fitting that this beautiful city of the 
dead, so near to the home where he dwelt while living, and where slumber 
the descendants of friends and neighbors who stood, shoulder to shoulder 
in the contest of the past, should furnish for his remains a resting place. 

" Gatlier him to his grave again 

And soUuunly and softly lay, 
Beneath tlic verdure of the plain, 

The warrior's scattered bones away," 

June 16, 1806. Monday at 11 o'clock a. m., there was a total Eclipse 
of the Sun ; the stars appeared and it was dark as at night for 3i minutes. 

Thursday, July 3, 1806. A shock of Earthquake was sensibly felt at 
10 o'clock which caused much alarm but no disastrous efi:"ects from the 
occurrence. 

Judge Van Ifess to Sol. Van Renssolaer. 
Dear Sir, Hudson, 18th March, 1807. 

Ever since my arrival I have been engaged in making arrangements 
relative to the election. This morning I returned from Cats Kill, I find 
our friends in tliis Country languid though united. In this place the 
leading federalists are firm and determined, some of our friends, hovrever, 
have as yet not made up their minds. Mr. C — 1 talks reasonably and I 
believe without di.sguise, many things might be stated which would satisfy 
you that great ardor and great zeal could not be expected from him. I 
have every reason to believe that with some trouble he will be induced to 
alter his tone, and to act promptly and decidedly in conjunction with his 
party. I however may be disappointed and I therefore am induced to 
add that no great expectations are intended to be excited. I am most 
thoroughly and completely satisfied that Mr. C — 1 is not a Clinton man, 
on this I would hazard my existence. The Govr. has his doubts on this 
subject. He stated to me a conversation with a Clintonian, relative to 
Mr. C — 1 which I confess alarmed me. When at Catskill I satisfied my- 
self that Mackay, not Harry C — 1 was the person alluded to by the 
gentleman with whom Governor Lewis conversed. Mackay edits the 
Recorder. I will explain this at another time. The federalists at Cats- 
kill are not opposed to Gov. Lewis, Benton, Haxtun, and one or two of 
their dejiendants excepted. But they are not yet active or zealous, 
measures have been taken to awaken them, never did you know such 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 159 

exertions as arc made by the Clintonians here and in (Ireen. Could it 
have been so ordered as to have roused our friends, all their exertions 
■would have been eounteracted. much can and will yet be done. JJut it 
requires more than one man to set a whole party in motion, why should 
we exert ourselves ? is a question daily put to me! I answer it as well ns 
I can, my friends listen to me but they are not all satisfied. However, I 
flatter myself we shall do pretty well both here and in Green. But how 
much better we might have done if a proper course had been pursued ! 
never, never have T known so glorious a prospect for the triumph of good 
men and good principles so strangely and unaccountably trifled with. The 
policy which has been pursued was doubtless conceived to be the true policy. 
I have been for sometime and am daily becoming more and more satisfied 
that if we lose the election it is because the temper and views of our party 
have been entirely misunderstood and wantonly sported with by the 
Council. I yesterday received a line from our friend Foot. He is ex- 
tremely wroth, and is nominated as a Candidate for the Senate. The 
appointment of the Sheriff in Delaware has excited great uneasiness there, 
and I fear much injury will result from it. Foot tells me he has written 
to Tillotson. When I left Albany I mentioned to the Gov that it was 
best to postpone the appointment of the officers of the independant com- 
pany proposed to be raised here until I might ascertain the state of things 
here a little better. It is essential that the appointments should be made 
as soon as may be, at the same time, I do not mean that these appoint- 
ments should precede all others of a military kind. We had a meeting 
here last evening respecting Charter officers, never did I see our party in 
this City more animated as it respects the support of federal candidates, 
about 170 voters attended. We appointed a committee for our County 
meeting, which will be about the 10th April. I am one of the Committee 
the rest are <jood men. I hardly know what I have written, I am con- 
fined to my house this morning (I began this letter yesterday) by a smart 

fever. Do let me hear from you soon, o- , j x i 

-' bincerely and truly yours. 

W. W. Van Ness. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esqr., Adjt. General, Albany. 

At this time there was a great struggle between the democrats and 
federalists. William W. Van Ness was one of the most eminent leaders 
among the latter. On June 9, 1807, by the Hon. the council of appoint- 
ment, he was appointed one of the justices of the Supreme Court of Ju- 
dicature of New York state, and took tbe place of Judge Livingston. 
No appointment which has been made gives greater satisfaction. It 
reflects great credit on Governor Lewis. He was a man of most wonder- 
ful ability, and seemed to know everything that was necessary for a man 
and judge to know. Nothing he ever said or did seemed to cost him any 
efibrt, yet there was a power and a strength in his intellectual movements 
which every body felt who witnessed them. He was a brilliant and a 
noble hearted man, pure in spirit and in purpose as he was gigantic in his 
intellectual pi-oportiotis. 

These were troublous times, dating as far back as 1792. " When the 
proclamation of the French republic was made known in xVmerica, and 
that the French had made a conquest of Austrian Netherlands, the friend- 
ship of Holland during our own revolution seemed to be forgotten, for 
there was an outburst of popular feeling in favor of the French republic ; 
they were blind to the total diflerence between their own revolution and 



160 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

that in Frauce. In lionor of this great change there was a grand fete, 
held in Boston, January 24, 1793. An ox was roasted whole. It 
was then decorated with ribbons, and placed upon a car drawn by 
sixteen horses. The flags of the United States and France were dis- 
played from the horns of the ox. It was paraded tli rough the streets, 
followed by carts bearing sixteen hundred loaves of bread and two 
hogsheads of punch. Tiiese were distributed among the people, and at 
the same time, a party of three hundred, with Samuel Adams, lieutenant 
governor of Massachusetts, at their head, assisted by the French consul, 
sat down to a dinner in Faneuil Hall. To the children of all schools who 
were paraded in the streets, cakes were presented, stamped with the words 
Liberty and Eqaaliti/. 

By public subscription, the sums owed by prisoners in the jail for debt 
were paid, and the victims of that barbarous law were set free. These de- 
monstrations were soon followed by tlie arrival of Citizen Genet, as he was 
styled, as minister of the French republic to the United States. He 
came in a frigate, and was landed at Charleston, South Carolina. His 
reception was all that his ambition could have demanded, and his journey 
from there to Philadelphia, the national capital, was a continued ovation. 
He was a man of culture and tact, spoke the English language fluently, 
was frank, lively and communicative. He was precisely the man for his 
peculiar mission. He mingled familiarly with the people, proclaimed 
wild and stirring doctrines, scorned all diplomatic art and reserve, and 
assured the citizens of the United States of the unbounded affection of 
his countrymen for the Americans. The republican leaders hailed his 
advent with delight ; and a large portion of the people were favorable to 
immediate and active participation by their government with France in 
its impending struggle against armed Europe. Many in the wild enthu- 
siasm of the moment, forgetting the difi'erence between American and 
French liberty, would not have hesitated an instant in precipitating their 
country into a war that might have proved its utter ruin. " If our citizens 
have not already been shedding each others' blood, it is not owing to the 
moderation of Mr. Genet but to the forbearance of the government." 

It was fortunate for the country that a man like Washington, and 
his wise counselors were at the helm and halliards of the vessel of 
state at that time and endowed with courage sufficient to meet the dan- 
gerous popular gale. The unwarrantable conduct of Mr. Genet from the 
moment he landed in Charleston, until the date of his letter on the sub- 
ject of the negotiation, was sufficient to excite caution in the American 
government. He had there violated the sovereignty of the United States 
by enlisting men and giving them commissions to commit hostilities on 
nations at peace with us. The president issued a proclamation of neu- 
trality, warning citizens of the United States not to take part in the kind- 
ling war. At the same time it was agreed that the minister of the French 
republic should be received. The wisdom, and timeliness of Washington's 
proclamation of neutrality was soon made manifest. There were written 
proofs that Genet was truly engaged in villainous machinations against 
our peace and friendship, in endeavors to excite discord and distrust be- 
tween our citizens and those whom they had entrusted with their govern- 
ment. He had secret instructions in his pocket also to foment disturbance 
between the United States and Great Britain, and to set the American 
government at defiance, if necessary, in the execution of his designs. The 
executive department, however, unawed by the storm of passion that beat 



Legacy of IlrsTonrcAL Gleaninos. 161 

upon it. went stead il}^ forward in the path of right and duty. These 
mea.sures greatly irritated the French minister and his American partisans. 
Mr. Genet assumed a new and bolder line of conduct; he engaged in a 
correspondence with our government which on his part was replete with 
insults, till finally the government instructed our minister at Paris, to 
desire Mr. Grenet's recall because he was offensive to that of the United 
States. He was recalled, but never returned to France as a change of 
faction had taken place in his country, and he thought it not prudent to 
do so. Mr. Genet often spoke in after days of the wisdom of Washington 
and his administration; the i'olly of his own countrymen at that time and 
their admirers in America, and rejoiced that the proclamation of neutrality 
defeated his wild scheme. 

(3Ir. Genet married a daughter of Gov. George Clinton. His daughter 
married a son of Col. Nicholas Van Rensselaer of Greenbush ; and his 
second son married Magdalena Witbeck a grand-daughter of Col. Nicholas 
Van Rensselaer who fought at Quebec in 1775. Mr. Genet was buried 
in 1S34, in the grave yard of the Reformed Dutch church at Greenbush, 
and since then his eldest son has been laid by his side.) 

The failure of Citizen Genet's mission put an end to these unhallowed 
schemes of conquest, not, however, until they had produced annoying effects 
upon the national government. A spirit of intolerance had been continued 
all this time, and still existed even in 1806, beyond the control of sober 
men, of either party; there were more than ordinary causes for this; the 
influence of the French revolution upon the people of this country re- 
mained with great power; the annunciation of liberty restored in France, 
after a dark night of centuries, gave an impulse, that caused a delirium 
in the public mind, especially among the masses. It was enough that the 
chain was broken, and the Bastile destroyed ; the Marseillaise and other 
famous national hymns of the French revolution were chanted in our 
streets ; scarce a thought occurred, whether here were materials to lay the 
foundation of rational liberty; whether the French character, at all times 
easily excited, light, frivolous and changeable, ignorant of the first princi- 
ples of free govern luent, did not require a long training, to prevent its 
termination in anarchy, or a despotism more oppressive, than that from 
which they had escaped. Many in the ardor of their feelings, were ready 
to suspect some of the best friends of liberty, if they expres.sed fears of 
the final result. An individual who was not prepared to hurra for the 
French, would have but little influence at elections with a portion of the 
republican party. On the other hand, the prevailing temper of tlie 
federal party was, to stigmatize their opponents, as French Jacobins, ready 
to approve the atrocities of the French revolution then apparent. In this 
state of things, truth requires the admission, that the republican party 
was more infected with the mania of wild French democracy, than their 
opponents. The federalists having the power of the state in their hands, 
were rather intolerant in the exercise of that power ; this at times produced 
much irritation. The federal party were in favor of the Constitution of 
the United States, and the republican party generally opposed to its adop- 
tion without certain amendments, and in consequence called anti-federal- 
ists. There were feelings of alienation on that ground and prejudices 
which had not yet been removed; there was also much personal hostility 
between individuals arising from real or imaginary wrongs, these gave 
keenness to the edge of political warfare. 
21 



162 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The political elerueuts were in violent commotion and extended to 
Albany, at which place Mr. Genet now resided. The democratic party 
were nearly all in raptures and sympathized with Citizen Genet; not .so 
my paternal grandfather, General Henry K. Van Rensselaer. Although a 
strong democrat, the old soldier had shed his blood too freely for our inde- 
pendence to see it now bartered away so easily ; he still carried in his 
thigh a constant remembrancer in the shape of British lead, and exerted 
himself to stay the torrent of a misguided community. He gave his opi- 
nion freely, stating insolent declarations and menaces regarding America, 
which Genet had made to him, in the presence of his son the adjutant 
general and others. He was contradicted and told it was fahc ; and 
this was more fully expressed at a public meeting of democrats, of which 
Elisha Jenkins was secretary, by means of the adverse resolutions, re- 
garding a federal meeting, which were unanimously adopted. His son 
Solomon, was justly incensed that his own untarnished integrity was thus 
maligned ; and though opposed to his father in polities, being a strong 
federalist, would not hear of such an insult to this venerable and de- 
crepit sire without notice. It was the law of a soldier's nature which 
prompts him to repel a base attack on the reputation of the brave and 
the deserving, in the same spirit which he would meet an assault on a 
military post or position, which had been committed to his own spe- 
cial keeping. He flies irresistibly to the rescue of his comrade, when in 
danger, and he is always ready to thrust himself in, to receive any blow 
which he sees aimed at the one whom he would save. Elisha Jenkins 
(secretary of state), being the author of the resolutions adopted at the 
republican meeting that questioned Gen. Van llensselaer's veracity, was 
held responsible. The sequence of a well merited chastisement inflicted 
on the secretary as a base traducer, was the occasion of a disgraceful po- 
litical row, the crafty handiwork of democratic demagogues showing 
"the good old times of their boyhood," which resulted in serious injury 
to the intrepid and high minded son. The first brand thrown into the 
fire consisted of an affidavit by Colonel Nicholas Staats, of the county of 
Rensselaer, charging Adjutant General Van Rensselaer with what was 
characterized as " Corrupt Influence," to favor there-election of Governor 
Lewis. This was followed by an affidavit from Gen. Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer and his father, Gen. H. K. Van Rensselaer, denying the whole 
charge, together with other affidavits and letters. The allusions to Mr. 
Genet in these documents called the minister of France to his feet. 
In consequence of which he published a lengthy statement as a counter 
debate, for the opposers of Governor Lewis, in order to defeat his re- 
election and implicate the reputation of the adjutant general, had fabri- 
cated an affidavit which was the occasion of much trouble. 

E. C. Genet's Counter Statement. 

Prospect Hill, April 7th, 1807. 

Among the shafts which unknown hands dart incessantly at me through 
the poisoned channel of the papers devoted to the most virulent faction 
I have noted one whose authors have had at least the honesty to give their 
names. I will accordingly answer them in the same way, excepting the 
ceremony of an oath, which I do not consider as necessary to strengthen 
my declarations. 

The affidavits of Messrs. Henry K., and Solomon Van Rensselaer 
might require on my part several remarks; but as the public are very 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 1(J3 

little interested to know the minute particulars of my conversation with 
them, I will merely state, that the motives which induced me to obtain 
from Mr. Nicholas Staats, at the request of several of my friends in 
Albany, a testimonial proof of certain facts which that <i;entleman had 
I'rcqueutly divulijed, were grounded on public good and equal justice. 
An attempt made to seduce the honor of that representative of the people, 
and entice him to deviate from the path of faithfulness to constituents, 
was a very alarming precedent, if true, or a very slanderous report, if 
unsupported by evidence. The case is now before the tribunal of the 
public, and I am satisfied to have done my duty as a citizen, iu exposing 
it there. 

I wonder how private opinions, totally unconnected with the transac- 
tion above mentioned, have been introduced in the affidavits of the said 
gentlemen. It appears to have been done with an intention to hurt me : 
but as passion is very often blind, her blows seldom bear. I could also 
go to a justice of the peace and swear on the Holy Book, that I never 
have said, to the best of my recollection, that after Napoleon the 1st had 
dispatched England in " case the government of the United States did not 
conduct towards him with more civility and friendship than they had 
hitherto done, they would next be attacked and subjugated to him" — but 
by the use or abuse which has been lately made of affidavits, I confess 
that I am a stranger to the point in dispute, it would have very little eft'ect 
upon my mind. I prefer to demonstrate, by plain reasoning, that I have 
not, that I could not have asserted that such an event should take place, 
with those degrading circumstances, or that I have been grossly misun- 
derstood. The great object of the editors, co-operators and suppliers of 
the quid papers is, to make the people believe that I am here, at Prospect 
Hill, the agent, the emissary, the factotum of Bonaparte ! Is it probable, 
if I had accepted that important embassy, after having abjured my alle- 
giance to France, when France ceased to be free, that I should be im- 
prudent enough to disclose, in that delicate situation, the ambitious views 
of my employer? Is it probable that I should be ignorant that he does 
not complain of our general administration ? Is it probable that I should 
have offered for the service of this country, as I can prove I have done, 
memorials on the use, organization and tactics of the flotillas and plans 
for the defense of our coasts and harbors ? Is it probable, that knowing 
the principles of the present form of government in France, I should 
support here, by all the means in my power, the cause of liberty ? No, 
certainly not. The idea of a French invasion to take place after the con- 
quest is accomplished, has for several years been held up among the 
people, but I have always considered and represented it publicly and 
privately as a mere folly, if it was sincere, or as a trick of the English 
and federal alarmists if it was not; and I never have thought that the 
conquest of the United States could be an object of glory, ambition or 
interest for France. What glory would there be for those veteran legions 
who have annihilated the renowned legions of Austria, Prussia, Russia, 
and so many other powers, to cross the ocean for the purpose of attacking 
a militia valorous but not yet equally disciplined ? In what would the 
ambition of France be gratified by crushing down, at an immense ex- 
pense, a government which owes to her in a great measure its existence? 
And what advantage would there be for her to paralyze by despotism the 
wonderful activity and enterprise of a people so useful to her manufacto- 
ries, to her trade, to her colonies, and whom she has lately treated with 



164 Legacy or IIiSToniCAL Gleanings. 

so much magnanimity, iu excluding them from the severity of the decree 
of Berlin ? It is absurd, it is deleterious to admit the possibility of such 
an unnatural event, unless that spirit of experience, reason, iiood sense 
and patriotism, which has occasioned the downfall of federalism, sliould 
abandon our fellow-citizens, and raise up a new English faction, ready to 
insult, outrage, provoke, and even declare war aguinst the most powerful 
nation on earth. But in case the judgment should be passed on us by 
heaven, then would we see whether the quids or the republicans would 
be the first to shed their blood for the defence of their country, and to 
perish rather than be conquered and subjugated. 

E. C. Genet. 

The state of excitement was such, after the letter of Mr. Genet was 
published, that an indignation meeting of the federalists was held at the 
City Hall, on the 14th of April, 18U7, at which among many other reso- 
lutions the following were adopted : 

* * * * And whereas this meeting has understood that a certain 
emigrant from France, formerly minister of the French Republic in the 
United StatcF, and notorious for his intrigues during the administration 
of President Washington, is now zealously interfering in tiie elections of 
this state, and has declared to one of our fellow-citizens : " Tliat in case 
the Gooenimentof fhe United States did not conduct toioards the Emperor 
of France ivith more friendship and civility than it had hitherto done, they 
woidd next he attacked and subjugated hy him." 

Resolved, As the sense of this meeting, that the said declaration is an 
unjustifiable attempt to alarm the fears of our citizens, to violate the free- 
dom of sufi"rage, and to overawe the ensuing election by the menace of 
foreign powers. And it is further 

Resolved, That the renewal, at this critical juncture, of the intrigues of 
the above mentioned French emigrant, after so long an interval of obscur- 
ity, viewed in connection with the late turbulent attempt of the above 
said Irish emigrant, [Thomas Addis Emmet in an attempt made in the 
Hibernian Society of New York to inflame the passions of foreigners] 
contrary to his professed intention of taking no active part in political and 
party questions, affords strong grounds of suspicion and belief that a great 
effort is now making, by a certain party in our state, to accomplish party 
purposes by the united force of a dangerous foreign influence. 

They considered the influence of intriguing and turbulent foreigners as 
dangerous to the peace and safety of our country. 

Sol. Van Rennselaer to E. 0. Genet. 

Cherry Hill, 15th April, 1.807. 
In your statement of the 7th instant, you seem to consider General 
Van Bensselaer's and my aifidavits as violent attacks upon you. Had 
you reflected one moment, it would have occurred to you that you was 
the first assailant. Your ofiiciousness iu procuring the affidavit of a 
weak and intemperate man to fix a stigma on my character, for the pur- 
pose of implicating the Governors, and of which I warned you to desist 
before that affidavit was published, rendered a defence highly proper. 
In making that defence I deemed it right to submit to the public every 
circumstance that might serve to develop your views, or to designate 
your secret prompters. I do not, however, mean this explanation by way 
of apology for anything contained either in the Generals or my own affi- 
davit, to such an apology you are not entitled, because by assuming the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 165 

humble employment of an affidavit hunter, to subserve the basest party 
purposes, you liave forfeited the consideration of every respectable citizen. 
Whatever the abuse may be which has been actually made of affidavits, 
it cannot exonerate you from the imputation of having made the foolish 
and unwarrantable assertions stated in the affidavits first alluded to. But 
lest my object in tliis disclosure may be misapprehended, I now tell you, 
that it was not because I gave credence to your assertions or thought 
them wise; but because I conceived that they evinced your real disposi- 
tion in relation to the relative interests of this Country and France, for in 
that view, it is of little moment how absurd and preposterous soever the 
assertions are, when an adopted citizen (as you call yourself) utters senti- 
ments which denote that he has not abjured his alien propensities, with 
the renunciation of his first allegiance, it shows that the work of abjura- 
tion is not perfected That such a man, whatever his professions may be, 
is still an alien at heart, and not to be trusted in case of a conflict between 
his adopted and native country. I shall take no further notice of your 
statements, nor of the obligations which you seem inclined to impose on 
the United States toward France '•'■for their political existence, and the mag- 
nanimity of Bonaparte, in exchidimj them from the severity of the decree 
of Berlin," than by observing, that whatever those obligations may be, 
they were due to your murdered Sovereign, and not to the Usurper, 
whose magnanimity and heroism you on all occasions delight to extol. 
But that the public may be more fully apprised that your confessed 
conviction of the absurdity of your assertions relative to Bonaparte's 
subjugation of this Country, does not restrain or regulate your tongue. I 
now subjoin two more affidavits. Hence it will appear that there are 
four affidavits opposed to your bare assertion on this subject. Go then to 
" a justice of the peace and swear on the Holy Book " that you never made 
use of the expressions stated in those affidavits, and then let an impartial 
public decide where the falsehood lies. 

With respect to your affidavit maker, Staats, I only remark, that while 
he stands convicted in essential points by two credible witnesses, besides 
myself, and is a convicted liar ^ of many years standing, and was seen 
going home intoxicated on Saturday the lltli inst., when his affidavit, 
accompanying your statement was taken, I deem it unnecessary to bestow 
any further attention on him than by exhibiting that conviction anew to 
the public. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

" The demonstration made by the federalists at their indignation meet- 
ing on the 14th was followed by a mass meeting of democrats, at which 
Mr. Rufus King, resident minister of the United States at the court of 
London, came in for a large share of censure, while Mr. Emmet was 
warmly applauded as deserving of thanks. They viewed with lively satis- 
faction the bright prospect of triumph for their cause." 

" At a numerous meeting of republican electors, held pursuant to notice, 
at the Albany Coffee House, on Friday, 17th April, 1807, George Mer- 
chant, chairman, Elisha Jenkins, secretary. The meeting proceeded to 

' Mr. Staats in the year 1798, caused a publication to bo made iu the public 
papers about himself in regard to the nomination of Mr Jay, which was proved 
to be a niis-stateni(Mit as .solemnly declared on oath by (nghtecn persons who were 
cognizant of the whole aflFair. 



166 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

take into consideration the resolutions passed at a federal meetinp; lately 
held in this city, censuring the conduct of Thomas Addis Emmet, Esq., 
and approviiiy the interference of llurus King, Es(p American minister 
at London, in preventinij; the migration of certain Irish state prisoners 
to these United States, and other resolutions passed at the same meeting. 
The business of the meeting was opened and explained by the Honorable 
John Tayler, in an eloquent and spirited appeal to the judgment and 
feelings of all present. After reading the federal resolutions, etc., the 
following Resolutions were read and duly considered, and the question 
being put upon each, they were all unanimously agreed to ;" * * * 

The Third Resolution was the cause of the State street aifray, viz : 

" IIesolvkd, That we wholly disbelieve that Edmund C. Genet, the 
former minister of the French republic, has declared, ' that in case 
the government of the United States did not conduct themselves towards 
the Emperor of France with more friendship and civility than it had 
hitherto done, they would next be attacked and subjugated by him.' And 
we are warranted herein, not only by the positive denial by Mr. G-enet of 
his having made such a declaration, but by the whole tenor of his conduct 
which has fallen under our notice since his residence in this part of the 
state. That this meeting has incontestible evidence of his attach- 
ment to this country, inasmuch, as he has purchased and holds considera- 
ble real estate within this state ; has resided here more than fourteen 
years, lias been naturalized more than three years, and, by his marriage 
with the daughter of a native citizen of distinguished rank, by whom he 
has several children, he has every tie to bind him to the interests of his 
adopted country. That to deny him the rights of an elector, would be a 
prostration of the constitution and laws of the United States, and aa 
act of tyranny, which we abhor and detest. 

" Resolved, That we see no evidence whereon to ground a suspicion or 
belief, that an eifort is now making to accomplish party purposes by the 
united ibrce of a dangerous foreign influence; but to the contrary thereof, 
the citizens now assembled see in this charge the revival of those stale 
and antiquated attempts of the federal party, to alarm and agitate the 
public mind for the obvious purpose of promoting the election of Morgan 
Lewis, and defeating that of the republican candidate Daniel D. Tomp- 
kins, &c., &c." 

The next thing in order was theji;/ht in State street : After Dr. Samuel 
Stringer had dressed the wounds of General Van Rensselaer, at the Ton- 
tine (Joifee House, which was located on the north side of State street, 
above where the City Bank now stands he was taken to Cherry Hill, on 
a mattrass, in a boat. His thick, beautiful, long hair, fortunately, was 
braided and clubbed behind, and this had afforded some protection to his 
bead; but his symptoms continued very alarming. The stroke from the 
heavy club on the back of his head, and the dastardly kicking after he 
was prostrate, brought him to the verge of the grave ; for many weeks he 
lay nearly unconscious, and the chance for life appeared but small " The 
patient was confined to his bed about three weeks, sometimes worse and 
sometimes better; the wound probably would unfit him for business many 
years. Any violent exercise of body or mind, at some future day, might 
carry him off. Dr. Stringer was repeatedly asked by defendant's counsel, 
whether he kyiew that there was a contusion of the brain in Van Rensselaer's 
case; the witness replied, that he luid not been on the inside of the skull to 



Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 107 

look. Witness had forbidden his riding even in a chair, Van Rensselaer had 
formerly rode much on horseback ; but could do it no more." For years 
afterv.-ards he coukl not bear the motion of a carriao-e. 



Lieutenant Governor Tayler to the Public. 

I certify, tliat I do not know or believe that his Excellency Governor 
Lewis furnished Solomon Van Kensselaer, Esquire, with a Cane on Tues- 
day last ; nor do I know or Believe that the said Solomon had the 
Governor's Cane during the Affray on that day ; nor do I Know or Believe 
that his Excellency the Governor did in any manner encourage or coun- 
tenance said Aifray, but when I saw him, after it was over, he plainly 
and unequivocjdly disapproved thereof. j r^ 

Albany, 25th x\pril, 1807. 



William James, while writing at the back of his store, heard Mrs. 
Cooper scream and went out just in time to separate Bloodgood from Van 
Rensselaer. " Mrs. Cooper was between Tayler and Van Rensselaer when 
Bloodgood came up." Mrs. Cooper had been an intimate friend of my 
mother's and till her death, my father always sent a couple of oUkotks 
to her on New Year's day, by the hand of her excellent son, Gen. Cooper. 

The following letter was received a few days subsequently. 



Lieut. Governor layler to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Albany, 24th April, 1807. 

The unfortunate affray that took place on Tuesday last excites in me 
the deepest regret, and to add to the misfortune the grossest misrepresent- 
ations are propagated, it is said that my negro was armed with a Club, 
and the others of my friends were also armed and prepared. 

I can in the most solemn manner declare this to be an untruth, I did 
not Suspect any thing of the kind nor did I know that Mr. Bloodgood 
was in my house, passion and not Malice induced me to address you in 
harsh Language and to go up to you when you called to come on. I was 
confident from your skill in the use of the back sword, that small injury 
only if any could fall on you from the mean of defence I possessed, in 
this I am sure you will agree with me and I can most solemnly protest 
that I meant no more. 

Mr. Cooper at my door seeing me engaged with two men as he supposed 
ran out and got between you and Mr. Schermerhoru, getting hold of him 
but did not as he positively declares, see you after that or touch you at 
any time, his back being towards you. 

Mr. Bloodgood, acted under the same impression, as he also positively 
declares, and that neither of them made use of any harsh or improper 
language to which they are willing to be qualified. 

That I should in the remotest degree be the mean or Instrument of 
giving so much pain and distress to a family for whom I always had the 
greatest respect gives me great pain. Mr. Bloodgood most sincerely 
laments his imprudence and would not hesitate to make any atonement in 
his power. I have learnt with pleasure that the Symptoms were very 
favorable last Evening. 



168 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

That the Parent of all j^ood may be graciously disposed to Continue 
them, and that your health may Soon again be restored to the great Joy 
of your respectable and afflicted family is the Sincere wish and devout 
prayer of Your distressed humble Servant, 



Adjutant General 




%uetyr^ 



Solomon Van Rensse- / Z^^''''' ^J^'^;' 

or the State 

of New York. 



" Those savage gentlemen, who came well nigh being assassins, hired 
persons to watch the house and obtain information, as to the patient's situ- 
tion, from the four attending physicians. They made arrangements to 
leave the country in case of his death, which for a long time was hourly 
expected." One of the honorable men sent a beautiful letter, expressive 
of contrition, to my dear afflicted mother and begging her forgiveness ) 
but, while she believed his deep regret to be sincere, the wrong inflicted 
was felt too acutely; and the uncertainty if the life of her ''loved one" 
would be spared, together with the thought that the wound might at any 
rate, unfit him for business many years, decided her, and in sorrow the 
letter was at once returned to him. They all regretted this sad breach of 
friendship, and many years after, when the federal and part of the demo- 
cratic party united on DeWitt Clinton for governor, they sent friends 
to my father's friends, to ask thein to intercede, and beg for a reconcilia- 
tion and liis forgiveness. The general sent them word, he was not a 
savage, he forgave them, but could not forget the wrong done, however, 
he was willing " to bury the hatchet," and meet their advances if they 
were sincere. It was a great trial to him, but those who had once been 
the aggressors, behaved so frankly, so heartily, while the friends on both 
sides engaged in bringing about the renewal of friendship effected it so 
handsomely and judiciously, that after a long consultation with my mother, 
he fully consented. The step was never regretted, and those once bitter 
political enemies, were ever after his warm friends. Francis Bloodgood, 
when on his death-bed, sent a mutual friend, Isaac Deuniston, Esq., to 
beg my father to visit him and grant him forgiveness. With tears rolling 
down his aged cheeks, the venerable man pleaded that General Van 
Rensselaer would accompany him, to that chamber of death. From a 
quivering lip, slowly came the response :" Tell Mr. Bloodgood I freely 
forgive him, but cannot go to see him." 

Years after, in 1826, my mother accompanied my father on a tour of 
inspection of post offices, by order of post master general, John McLean ; 
from one of her letters we take this extract : "At Rochester we remained 
a few days, after viewing the Falls left there in a canal boat in company 
with Colonel and Mrs Elisha Jenkins, they were very sociable. All was 
as pleasant and cordial as if nothing disagreeable had occurred between 
the gentlemen ; they parted with regret on both sides." 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 169 

A Brief Statement of Facts Which led to and attended tha Affray in. Albany, 
April 2Ut,\>i^'^- 

On the ITtli instant, at ameetins; of tlie Clintoniaus in this city, certain 
Ilesolutions were adopto 1, one of which dechircd the utter disbelief of the 
meeting of certain facts contained in a deposition of IIknry K. Van 
Kensselaer, Esquire, and Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esquire, the 
Adjutant General. The latter gentleman feeling himself grossly injured 
and insulted, and having understood that the Resolutions were drawn up 
by Elisiia Jenkins, Esquire, who was Secretary of the meeting, at- 
tacked Mr. Jenkins in the street on the morning of the 21st inst., having 
first accosted him and told him to defend himself, and gave him a severe 
caning * * * Mr. Jenkins himself being armed with a cane. About 
two hours after this Judge Tayler, in the presence of several gentlemen, 
used abusive language of the Adjutant Gi-eneral, calling him Assassin, 
Rascal, Scoundrel, &c., and shortly after seeing the Adjutant General 
passing down State street, pursued him with his cane raised, calling him 
damn'd rascal, and demanding of him why he had used Mr. Jenkins thus, 
and coming up with him attacked him, the General defending himself 
with his cane, which was soon wrested froiu him by Judge Tayler. 
* * * * On which Mr. Cornelius Scherraerhorn, jun. came up and 
furnished him with another, with which he struck Judge Tayler, and 
while they were thus engaged Francis Bloodgood, Esquire, and Dr. 
Charles D. Cooper came up, one of them crying knock the da.mnd rascal 
down, the other kUl the damn'd rascal, and Bloodgood with the thick end 
of a heavy cane which he held with both his hands, struck Van Rens- 
selaer from behind a blow that felled him * * * Roth Tayler and 
Cooper as well as Bloodgood, then struck Van Rensselaer while down, 
with their canes, and Cooper also kicked him, Van Rensselaer being 
raised up by two persons and greatly disabled, walked off with their as- 
sistance, Bloodgood pursued him, and while he was led off, struck him 
two severe blows with the thick end of his cane, held as before. Van 
Rensselaer being then unarmed. 

While Judge Tayler and Mr. Van Rensselaer were engaged, and just 
before the first mentioned blow from Mr. Bloodgood, Henry Yates jun. 
Esq., came up and interfered with Mr. Van Rensselaer, but being disabled 
himself by a stroke from a person unknown retired. The Governor, 
[Morgan Lewis took hold of Tayler and told him it was a shame. Tayler 
replied, My dear Governor. I could not help it, are we to be murdered for 
expressing our sentiments.] who happened to be near at the time of the 
affray, exerted himself to the utmost, in quelling the tumult, and the 
Mayor of the city [Philip S. Van Rensselaer] and other Magistrates, 
were very active in the discharge of their duty. The Adjutant General 
now lies very dangerously ill of his wounds. To prevent erroneous im- 
pressions, as to the transactions above mentioned, and to contradict the 
false reports that have been industriously circulated, by our political oppo- 
nents to answer party purposes, we publish the above statement, iVoni 
actual testimony, and from a full conviction of its truth. 7iy order of 
Federal Refuhlican Committee of Albany, 

John H. Wendell, Chairman. 

Teunis Van Vechtcn, Secretary. 
Albany, 27th April, 1807. 
22 



170 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



CHAPTER VIII. 
Speech of Hon. Elisha Williams. 

The affray gave rise to more law, ill feeling and vindictiveness than 
any occurrence that ever took place in Albany. For this murderous 
attack, Gen. Van Rensselaer subsequently had all the parties arrested, 
and those concerned in the several encounters went to law about their 
grievances. [The difficulty which caused these suits took place at Albany, 
on the 21st day of April, 1807, a few days previous to the general elec- 
tion, at which time the republican candidate, Daniel D. Tompkins, was 
elected over Morgan Lewis of the federal party.] The actions were com- 
menced in the Supreme Court, and, by consent of parties, referred to 
Simeon De Witt, Esq., Mr. James Kane and Mr. John Van Schaack, 
as arbitrators, and was tried at Albany in Aug. 1808. Abraham Van 
Vechten and John Woodworth, Esqs., were associated with Elisha 
Williams, as counsel for Mr. Van Rensselaer, and Thomas R. Gold, 
Ebenezer Foote and John Champlain, Esqs., were opposed. 

Speech of Hon. Elisha Williams in the causes of ElisJia Jenkins m. Sol. Van 
Rensselaer. Solomon Van Renssplaervs. John Tayler. The same m. Charles D. 
Cooper. The same vs. Francis Bloodgood. 

" The great importance of these controversies to my client, as they re- 
spect his feelings, his property and his character, is the only apology I 
shall offer to you, gentlemen, for the observations I am about to submit. 
The high confidence reposed in you (who are selected by the parties them- 
selves) may be more finely expressed by the opposite counsel, but cannot 
be more sincerely felt than by ourselves. Nor, gentlemen, can a more 
sure and ample pledge of your ability, candor, and integrity, be required, 
than that which you have furnished in the patience and impartiality you 
have displayed through the tedious details of this unprecedented investi- 
gation. These considerations, inspire a confidence that the few observations 
I shall now submit to you, will be attentively heard and duly a{»preciated. 

"The opposing counsel have confined their observations to the transactions 
of that unfortunate day, when, on the one hand insolence and insult were 
justly chastised, and when on the other, unbridled rage and brutal violence 
finally triumphed in the destruction of a patriot and a soldier. They have 
described General Van Rensselaer as the baleful star, which arose in the 
morning, and produced and justified all the fatal excesses and crimes per- 
petrated throughout the day. Upon this theme, they have poured forth 
torrents of declamation, and evinced all the fiction, all the 'melancholy 
madness,' if not the inspiration of poetry. 

" But, gentlemen, I must beg the favor of you to travel back with me 
to an earlier period, to examine the causes which produced the misfor- 
tunes of that unhappy day. And if, in this examination, we find that the 
political elements were in violent commotion, prior to that lamented day, 
if we find that the machinations of the evil genius of our country, had 
prepared all things for an explosion, if in fine, we find 'the hand of Napo- 
leon even in this thing,' let us hear no more of ' the baleful morning star,' 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 171 

anJ its baleful mid-day iufluence. Rather let the fi;uilty authors of those 
horrid transactions, those incendiaries, who, to gratify an unholy ambition, 
dared to attack and stigmatize the fair fame of a soldier, to torture his 
honorable feelings with the most unfounded calumnies, until at length 
they compelled him to raise his arm in defense of his injured character, 
let these calumniAtors be dragged before the public, and let them feel 
from your hands, gentlemen, the punishment which their dastardly con- 
duct merits. 

What, then, is the real cause of all these outrages, where and when 
did they commence, and by whose hand was the fatal apple of contention 
thrown among these parties 't 

It had pleased Mr. Kdmund C. Genet, by some means, to procure from 
a Mr. Nicholas Staats, an affidavit, deeply impugning the character and 
conduct of the adjutant general. [Said to be a bribe to vote for Gov. 
Lewis.] The adjutant general, then, not suspecting the dark and exten- 
sive system which had been planned for the destruction of his character, 
accompanied by his aged father, called on Staats for an explanation of 
his affidavit. He was referred to Genet, whose bureau, it seems, had 
now become the grand arsenal, whence were to be drawn all the political 
weapons and democratic ammunition which the approaching contest 
might require. Staats, acknowledging the errors which his affidavit was 
calculated to propagate, declared to the general that he had long refused ; 
but finally was prevailed upon to swear by the incessant and pressing 
solicitations of Genet; and, at the same time, referred him to the citizen 
for an inspection of his oath. The general and his father then repaired 
to the house of Genet, there it was that the offensive observations were 
made which are detailed in the affidavit of those gentlemen. There it 
was, that this Frenchman painted the power, the designs and the inten- 
tions of the Corsican tyrant : Bonaparte, he said, had now disposed of all 
his European enemies, excepting England and Russia. They soon would 
fall before his power; and then, if America did not treat him with more 
respect, she must expect that chastisement which his imperial master had 
never failed to inflict upon national insolence and national impudence, 
foolishly styled national independence. These, gentlemen, were the 
observations which my client and his aged father felt it their solemn 
duty to submit, under their oaths to their fellow citizens. In this were 
they wrong ? Did they violate any rule of justice, any principle of honor 
in this procedure ? No. It was a public conversation, nor, with a sem- 
blance of truth, can it be said, that any confidence was violated. Nay, 
gentlemen, had they concealed it, had they failed to give it every degree 
of publicity in their power, then indeed might they justly have been 
charged with treason against the independence of their country. Who 
was this man, who menaced our country with the vindictive power of 
JJonaparte i* A Frenchman ! a man who, from birth, from education, from 
habit, and, perhaps, from principle, was well calculated to subserve the 
cause of his imperial master. A Frenchman, by birth, by education, a 
very Talleyrand in all the mysteries of political intrigue ; allied, exten- 
sively, to the leaders of the triumphant party; his influence almost un- 
bounded over that party ; this man now stood forth the commander in 
chief of the republican forces of the northern departujent. To awe the 
federalists into silence, when art and intrigue, when calumnies and affi- 
davits had failed, he now. as the dernier resort, brandishes over their 
heads the powers and the vengeance of his imperial master. 



172- Legacy of IIlstorical Gleanings. 

" Gentlemen, conduct like this is not new in the annals of the French 
nation, ior the last twenty years. Look at all those miserable countries 
which France has deceived, betrayed, revolutionized and conquered, and 
you will find the same means in full operation. Not a nation but has been 
first corrupted by the emissaries of the tyrants of the terrible republic. 
And if patriots have resisted the ruin of their liberties, if they have de- 
tected and exposed the delusions, the deceptions of their enemy, then have 
they invariably been menaced with the vengeance of the tyrants of the 
"world. Eut, gentlemen, these emissaries, who in every form, spread like 
locusts through every country, have always been able to delude and lead 
astray the majority of the people. They corrupt the presses, the very 
sources of inl'orniation. They flatter the ignorance, the prejudices of their 
intended victims, they wrap aiound them the glittering robe of liberty, 
which veils a thousand deformities, they become the friends of universal 
liberty, the genuine deienders of the rights of man, they represent France 
as engaged in the great cause of philanthropy and liberty. They con- 
stantly, and through a thousand channels, pour upon the people whole 
floods of high sounding terms and metaphysical jargon, and thus they 
succeed in bewildering the judgment, and corrupting the integrity of mil- 
lions. In this seductive form, they have constantly proffered their accursed 
principles to the world ; and on the eastern continent, nation after nation 
have ' drunken the medicated draught, nor dreamed of the lurking poison, 
until, racked by convulsions, they awoke to expire!' 

" Gentlemen, are not these facts established beyond the power of con- 
troversy ? Do you not already perceive, even in this our native country, 
that this sentiment, which, when first expressed by Genet, was deemed so 
infamous as to call forth its condemnation from the united suffrage of the 
party, is now heard with approbation? Yes, it now passes current for 
sound republican doctrine; and the very thoughts and sentiments then 
first broached by Genet, are daily ushered into public, through the columns 
of the Boston Chroniele, the Baltimore Whi)/, and even Col. Duane's Au- 
rora, with the silence, at least, if not with the approbation of the republi- 
can party. With a full knowledge of all these circumstances, gentlemen, 
let me now ask to whom were these insolent menaces uttered '( To Gen. 
Van Rensselaer, an old and faithful servant of his country, an officer of 
the revolutionary army, who had little left but his honor and his wounds, 
to entitle him to the notice of his country; and to his son, the first mili- 
tary officer of the state. These American officers heard this language 
from a Frenchman, with that indignant spirit which should ever inspire 
the defenders of our country. 'J hey were bound by every principle of 
honor and virtuous patriotism, to caution their fellow citizens against the 
intrigues and principles of a man, dangerous from his connections and influ- 
ence. They felt the full force of the obligation, and their affidavits came 
before the public, supported by the oaths of McDonald and llockwell, in 
whose presence Genet had made similar declarations. 

"The federal meeting, referring to the affidavit, and extracting the par- 
agraph, express of Genet, his sentiments, and his political conduct, their 
"warmest abhorence. In the estimation of certain gentlemen, who styled 
themselves republicans, it became important to clear their northern manager 
from the imputation of sentiments and designs so detestable, and then so 
unpopular. But how was this to be effected? Two American patriots, two 
gentlemen of unblemished character, had, by their oaths, convinced the 
jmblic of their truth. To remove that conviction, the most violent and 



Legacy of ITtSTOiiiCAL Gleanings. 173 

imposing; measures must be adopted. First, Genet must be called on to 
deny the assertion of those gentlemen. Ho, however, declines making 
his affulavit. lie surveys hiinselt" with all the complacency and pride of 
conscious greatness, and asks 'shall I, who but yesterday a great minister 
of the terrible republic; who assisted in die production of a revolution 
which has wholly overthrown the land marks of civil society ; shall I, who, 
with impunity, attacked the character of the god-like Washington; who 
appealed from the constituted authorities of this country, to the populace, 
and shook to the very center the government and constitution of this re- 
public, shall I, who sanctioned in my own country all those principles which 
finallv mingled in one mighty ruin the throne and the altar, shall I, who 
even now bask in the dazzling glory, and greatness of Bonaparte, I, who 
am w//sr//'a Freneliman shall I stoop to kiss the Gospel of God to sanction 
what I publish 't No. Two American officers have sworn to a fact. Sin- 
gular indeed luust be the state of the republican miml, and all my efforts 
and intrigues must have wholly failed of their wonted success, if the very 
troops I command, are uot yet prepared, npon my loord of honor, to 
pronounce those officers guilty of perjury.' Gentleujen, was he mistaken ? 
Not at all. As though inspired by his genius, a republican meeting was 
called at the seat of government : a ci-devant republican secretary of state, 
descended to the rank of a republican secretary of this electioneering con- 
vention. This universal secretary, introduces to this meeting, a resolution 
substantially adopting the assertion of his manager, as truth, and substan- 
tially declaring that General Van Rensselaer was guilty of perjury. Yes, 
gentlemen, an officer of our government, dependent upon his superiors, if 
uot upou Genet lor a future salary, thus descends from his high station, 
to become the propagator of the basest slander. But he did not stop here, 
Not contented with this private blow at the character of the general, he 
steps forth into the gazettes of the day, and sanctions by his nameand his offi- 
cial character, the basest slander that ever transpired. That this name 
gave a character, weight and deadly influence to this calumny, which it 
never would have derived from ten thousand anonymous publications, is 
not to be disguised. 

" Much has been said of the character, the exalteil standing, the exten- 
sive influence of the secretary. We admit them all. But surely in pro- 
portion to that character, standing, and influence, when he gave his name 
to the propagation of the slander, he inflicted a wound upon Gen. Van 
Rensselaer's character more deep and deadly. And in the same proportion, 
was the injury he inflicted and the crime he perpetrated, more aggravated, 
more destructive. And here, gentlemen, let it be remembered, that Gen. 
Van Rensselaer was not a volunteer before the public, lie was drawn 
out in self-defense against the foul aspersions of Staats, upon whom Genet 
has prevailed to swear to conversations implicating the general's reputation. 
He was uot the first ' to cheapen oaths,' by making voluntary affidavits. 
No, this very (Jitizen Genet, who afterwards disdained to swear to a sus- 
picious statement, he was the man, that first induced the attack in the 
form of an affidavit. IIow, then, can his advocates indulge in declamation 
against Gen. Van Rensselaer, for the course he adopted ? Away with all this 
French mummery — this squeamishness of ' cheapening oaths.' They are 
observations which should blister the mouths of the advocates of the man, 
who imposed the painful duty on my client of repelling with his oath a 
base and insidious slander, to which Staats had been made to swear. 

[" The federal republican cause, founded on the basis of the common 



174 Legacy of Historical Gleanings, 

good, and having for its objects the preservation of social order and the 
protection of general liberty, is a common cause, in which the interest of 
free citizens in general are concerned : 'J'hat it is a comnion duty of 
i'ederal rei)ublicans without regarding local distinctions, to support that 
cause wherever it is questioned, to assert and maintain its princi[)les 
wherever they are assailed, and to defend the reputations of our most 
virtuous and distinguished patriots whensoever, and by whomsoever they 
are calumniated."] 

" But it is now denied that Mr. Jenkins referred at all to the affidavit 
of Gen. Van Rensselaer. He referred, says his counsel, only to the reso- 
lutions of the federal meeting. Gentlemen, if those resolutions were be- 
fore hinj, the marks of quotation therein used, clearly demonstrate from 
whom the extract was made. If the public papers of the city were before 
him, the affidavit itself was under his eye. If in short the denial, the 
word of honor of Genet was before him, then he was referred to the 
affidavit, and then all pretense of not referring to the general's affidavit, 
while he cites its language with such scrupulous exactness, must appear 
a hollow pretense and a puerile evasion. I disdain to spend another 
moment in ex])osing this weak subterfuge of conscious guilt. What grounds 
then, gentlemen, had Jenkins to publish to the world a charge of perjury 
against (Jan. Van llonsselaer J:' Is his veracity questionable? Is the 
story improbable ? Is there any opposite testimony? On the contrary, 
he is fully supported by three witnesses of unimpeachable veracity. Yet, 
says Mr. Jenkins, I believe these gentlemen guilty of perjury, because 
Mr. Genet denies the charge. I believe his naked assertion though op- 
posed to the oaths of four American citizens, characters above suspicion. 
But why believe Genet ? Because ' this meeting have incontestible evi- 
dence of his attachment to this country.' And where is that evidence ? 
Is it to be found in the calumnies which he heaped upon the immortal 
Washington ? Is it to be found in his early attempts to drag this country 
into the wars of Europe ; in his efforts to involve us in all the horrors of 
the French revolution ? In the insults which he profusely dealt out to 
our firmest patriots? Or is it to be found in those wretched remnants of 
jacobin-clubs which a la mode de Paris he scattered through the con- 
tinent? Where is it to be found ? What exploit for American inde- 
pendence exists of which he is the author ? What monument of patriotism, 
of bravery or of wisdom will remain to tell posterity even that he ever 
existed ? You searcli in vain ! Not so my honorable client and his 
venerable father ! The one even in youth a veteran. The other long a 
faithful servant of his country both in the cabinet, and in the field. Let 
them bare their scars, those honorable testimonials of their long and faith- 
ful services to their native country j and to them let this adopted citizen 
boast of his warm attachment to our republic. 

"But the meeting further say Genet had married into a respectable 
family, that he has several children, that he had been naturalized and, 
was the purchaser of real estate. I dispute not the respectability of the 
family with which he is connected. But if this consideration is to affect 
the question, I ask, from what family has my client descended? Search 
the annals of the state, and you will fin<l from its earliest settlement that 
family has never ceased to be honorable. The children of Mr. Genet, I 
grant, are conclusive evidence of the soundness of his constitution ; but 
by what species of necromancy the secretary could drag them in to bolster 
the veracity of their father, is wholly unknown to me ; nor can I perceive 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 175 

in what manner his naturalization and property can be applied, either to 
confirm the denial of Genet, or to prove the perjury of Van Rensselaer. 

'• If Mr. Genet was naturalized, I admit he was entitled to all the politi- 
cal privileges which the directors of this ' asylum of oppressed humanity, 
have determined to extend to emigrants from Europe. IJut [ would 
humbly submit, whether the citizen, or any other emigrant, has any 
claim to a credit superior to that of the native citizens of our republic. 
Gentlemen, all these pretenses are straws at which counsel will ever 
grasp, when sinking in a flood of absurdity, and behold no cliance of 
escape. Had they not been dwelt upon in tiie resolutions, and supported 
by the very respectable counselor, in opposition, I should have deemed 
them scarcely worth a comment. 

" Gentlemen, you will perceive that I have treated the resolutions of the 
democratic meeting implicating Gen. Van Rensselaer's character, as the 
act of Mr. Jenkins. We do not deny to any man or number of men the 
privilege of canvassing on the eve of an election. But we deny that any 
political club is justified in greater liberties with individual character, 
than is permitted to individuals of that club. We deny that any indi- 
vidual of the meeting who promoted the circulation of the slander, is to 
be at all protected because others joined with him in perpetrating the 
outrage. And, above all, we deny, that a man who gives his name to the 
public in support of a calumny, who, thereby, gives it force, and form, 
and durability, can skulk from the responsibility, behind that portion of 
the populace, whom he might prevail upon to sanction the transaction. 
W^herever, then, the vile tale originated, whether in the wily brain of a 
foreigner, or whether in a motley concourse of electioneering dependents, 
Jenkins adopted it as his own. He placed it on a lasting record. He 
attempted to hand the name of my client and his aged father down to 
their posterity, covered with the deepest infamy. Is he not then answer- 
able for his conduct ? As a gentleman, can he wish to avoid responsi- 
bility ? Does he attempt to shield himself from responsibility behind the 
political puppets, whom he collected and danced before the public in 
Albany? For his own honor, gentlemen, let him disavow attempts, so 
weak, so degrading. Let him step boldly forth, and in the character of 
a man, tell you, ' If I have injured General Van Rensselaer, here I am to 
answer him.' Let him disdain longer to keep a position so humble, so 
disgraceful, as is that in which his counsel have placed him. It is strongly 
insinuated, however, that, as a soldier, General Van Rensselaer was 
bound by the code of honor to call his antagonise into the field, and wash 
away the injury with blood. Gentlemen, he might have called him; and 
so might he have ' called spirits from the vasty deep.' Not that I would 
insinuate aught against the personal bravery of Mr. Jenkins. But this 
is certainly true, that Van Rensselaer, who had sought a personal inter- 
view the preceding day, could hardly expect that this gentleman, who 
had promised to see him, and had falsified his promise, would now re- 
proach him with any violations of the rules of honor. And here, gentle- 
men, permit me to correct the opposing counsel, who seems to suppose 
that Schermerhorn was directed by Van Rensselaer to conceal his n;<me 
from Jenkins. He did not. The measure was adopted by Schermerhorn, 
as he says, because he believed it the only course to procure a personal 
interview between the parties. That Jenkins knew the person who 
sought the interview was Gen. Van Rensselaer, is perfectly obvious, by 
the testimony of Mr. John C. Spencer. Why then did not Jenkins com- 



176 Legayc of Historical Gleanings. 

ply with Lis promise to Scherinerhorn. This he might have done in the 
presence of liis friends. x\nd if he was unconscious of havinir inflii'ted 
intentional injury, he could have feared no personal violence. Gentlomen, 
if Jenkins could have uttered the language which his counsel now utter 
for him, would he not have met the general and have said to him, ' It 
was not my intention to question your veracity, I did not allude at all to 
your affidavit. I only referred to the proceedings of the federal meeting. 
Such an explanation (if founded in truth), would as readily have been 
offered as accepted as satisfactory by any man of honor. This, gentlemen, 
Jenkins did not do. With truth he could not do it. No, he well knew 
that he had inflicted upon Van Rensselaer a wound which apologies could 
not heal. He had declared to the world that the general and his father 
had incurred the moral guilt of perjury, that they had severed the chain 
which bound their consciences to truth and to heaven, and had become 
richly entitled to temporal and eternal infamy and wretchedness. What, 
then, could General Van llensselaer do ? Insulted in the grossest manner, 
wounded in the tenderest point, and doubly wounded by the attack upon 
his aged and defenseless father j denied the possibility of access to Jen- 
kins ; goaded almost to madness by the conduct of his adversary, he de- 
termined to chastise and disgrace the man who had wantonly and in cool 
blood aimed the dagger at his reputation ; and who when called on for a 
personal interview had promised it, but had basely forfeited his promise. 

" This he did. And now gentlemen let me ask, was the chastisement 
disproportionate to the offense ? I do not contend that the provocation, 
high and aggravated as it is, furnishes a legal justification of the assault 
and battery. But it must reduce the damages to a point, merely nominal. 

" That Jenkins expected (as he knew he merited) the chastisement he 
received, is evident from his language to Spencer, that he knew of the 
attack, is evident from the testimony of Miss Steele, of Eaton, and of 
several other witnesses; for when he beheld the man he had injured in 
pursuit of him, could he doubt his object ? It is also evident from the con- 
versation that succeeded the affray. When Van Rensselaer declared that 
he had given him notice prior to the blow, he did not at all deny the truth 
of the assertion. But above all it is evident from the character of the as- 
sailant. Strong and conclusive, gentlemen, must be the evidence to con- 
vince any one, that a man of acknowledged honor, bravery and humanity, 
like Gen. Van Rensselaer, could act so contrary to all his principles and 
his habits. 

"There cannot be a doubt then, gentlemen, that Jenkins beheld Van 
Rensselaer in pursuit of him, heard his call, and expected the attack. 
That Van Rensselaer was his superior, both in activity and resolution, 
and that he easily inflicted the chastisement he intended, we admit. And 
if we are to give any credit to the towering flights of the counsel, a .scene 
followed in which more blood was spilt than flowed at the battle of Tra- 
falgar. If the counsel are correct, poor Mr. Jenkins was beaten to a 
very mummy, his joints were dislocated, his hones broken, his features 
all disfigured, and he exhibited to the astonished citizens a spectacle to 
dissolve the marble heart of the veriest savage. This, gentlemen, is a 
doleful picture ; but unfortunately it has no original. What is the evi- 
dence ? While Jenkins was down and in Van Rensselaer's power, he did 
to be sure inflict several blows ; but in a part where most it wound his 
honor and least endangered his life or limbs. He then voluntarily re- 
treated, and Jenkins rose and retired. Van Rensselaer did not pursue 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 177 

hira. He cliose the manner best calculated to disgrace liira, to punish 
him for his insulting and injurious conduct to himself and his fatlier. 
You, gentlemen, as men of honor, who know and duly estimate the value 
of reputation, who can feel the situation of a man unjustly and vilely 
calumniated, you will fully examine the ofteuse and the provocation, and 
you will say, whether Jenkins did not merit the slight chastisement he 
received from the man he had wantonly injured. 

" I come now to the causes in which (general Van Rensselaer is plaintiiF. 
And, gentlemen, in the very threshold we are met by a sort of justifica- 
tion interposed by the defendants, generally, not a little singular. 

"The argument of the opposing counsel is in sul)stance this. To my 
client they say, 'you, sir, in the morning, broke in pieces the shield of 
the law. You therefore demolished all legal protection, and became an 
outlaw through the day. Upon you as ixpon Cain of old, was fixed a mark, 
and any that found you miglit kill you.' Really, gentlemen, I am dis- 
posed to allow much for the difficulties with which the counsel are forced 
to struggle. And much for that peculiar horror which their ingenious 
minds must have experienced when they were forced to enter upon the 
justification of a transaction so savage and flagitious. But this is a stroke 
so bold, so utterly at random, as to surpass the bounds of charity itself. 

" If General Van Rensselaer had committed a breach of the peace in the 
morning, it might well operate as a warning against all similar excesses 
for the day. Rut by what principle of common sense, reason or law it 
could justify or extenuate subsequent outrages, outrages, too, so enormous 
and bloody, is wholly beyond my power to conceive. Nor can I devise 
any legal or rational connection between the morning chastisement and the 
savage excesses in the afternoon. 

" But by what authority did these defendants become the avengers of 
Mr. Jenkins's wrongs? What connection exists between them and Jen- 
kins ? Not that consanguinity which, among savages, entitles to vengeance. 
None but a political connection has been disclosed. And has it come to 
this ? If, insulted and injured in the grossest manner by a man who refuses 
me every other satisfaction, I chastise and disgrace the insolent poltroon ; 
and if he happens to be a republican, has every member of that fraternity 
a license to grasp the cudgel, feel himself injured, and off"9r me personal 
insult and violence in the street. Gentlemen seem to suppose that when 
Van Rensselaer presumed justly to punish a man bearing the sacred name 
of republican, it was war de jure with the whole tribe of democracy. Nay, 
not content with this, they declare it a war of extermination, a war which 
would justify the tribe even in the vilest attempts at assassination. If, 
gentlemen, this triumphant tribe have arisen superior to the law as well as 
the constitution ; if to gratify their passions, all the sacred principles of 
justice, equity and law, esteemed so sacred and inviolable by our ancestors, 
are to be trampled under foot, then this high claim may have some founda- 
tion. But if we are 'brethren of the same family,' and law and justice 
rise superior to the political squabbles and clubs of the day, then a weaker 
or more ridiculous extenuation of an outrage, never was attempted. 

" Permit me, gentlemen, to call your attention to the case of Tayler 
alone. We are here charged with several offenses. First, after the afiVay 
with Jenkins, Van Rensselaer inaolentli/ walked the streets ; went to the 
tavern where his horse was; and to the post-office for his letters. And 
pray, why should he not walk the streets? After caning a man who 

23 



178 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

richly merited it who but a tyrant would attempt to prevent it, and who 
but a iiiadnian would question his right. 

" A^ain, it is said he souglit Taijlcr. This is not true ; for, had he sought 
hiuj ; when in full view of Lewis's Tavern he stood upon the side walk on 
the direct course to the post office, would Van Rensselaer have passed to 
the opposite side of the street, and on his return have entered upon the 
south side walk below him ? 'Tis incredible. But he did not run, when 

Tayler called him d d rascal and assassin. No, he did not run from 

Tayler. He never did turn his back upon an adversary, and I trust in 
God he never will. These, gentlemen, are not the general's habits. 
His conscience and his feelings never taught him this resort of cowardice. 
'' This Judge Tayler is a grave, wealthy, senatorial father of the city, 
whose presence might arrest the arm of the pugilist, quell a mob, or hush 
a riot; whose staff, like the trident of Neptune, could in an instant settle all 
the waves of commotion, and preserve order even among the elements of an- 
archy. Mr. Hutton, in the true character of a Christian, which he ever 
sustains, exhorted Judge Tayler to use his influence to prevent any further 
excess. This gravely and repeatedly he promised. While yet these 
promises are upon bis lips, a messenger arrives at his door. The judge 
is no rude man ; yet, sa7is ceremonte, he leaves his friends. What powerful 
motive impelled him ? Possibly he heard that General Van Rensselaer 
was insolentli/ walking the street. Vengeance ran rasping through every 
vein. The grave mentor, the venerable father of the city, grasping a 
bludgeon in his hand, while his eyes beemed meekness and complacency 
on his friends remaining within his own walls, rushed forth to gratify his 
malice, and to wallow in revenge. 

" The age of Tayler may have dimmed his sight ; but, when the name of 
Van Rensselaer is pronounced by Mr. Rodgers, he instantly drops the arm 
of his friend. Even the frozen blood of the grave old senator boiled 
like ^Etna's crater ; and the first words that issued from those lips that 
so lately, sweetly promised peace, were ^ you d — d rasco^ why did you, 
like an assassin, attack Jenkins ? ' In what ' code of politeness ' do the 
opposite counsel find a warrant for the venerable judge for the use of this 
language ? Tayler, with cane uplifted, rushed to the conflict, and my 
client did not run. ' Ergo (say the gentlemen), they fought by mutual 
couseut.' Let me not disturb this logical conclusion, but frankly admit, 
that my client never would have troubled you with this suit against 
Tayler, had he not reason to believe that by his procurement, the mob 
was drawn to the scene of action, with intention to permit the adjutant 
general to depart with his life, and with that only. 

" What is the evidence of preconcert ? Tayler's house happens to be the 
rendezvous of many of his friends. Tayler repairs to the market to pur- 
chase provisions, which he happened to forget to bring or order home. 
He whispered to the Cassidys. One of them immediately after Tayler 
left the market, with a club drawn, from some republican arsenal, 
haiipened to appear at the scene of action. The younger Cassidy invites 
his companion to go up to State street to ' see the scrape.' How did it 
happen that these Cassidys were so wonderfully correct if not previously 
informed? When Gen. Van Rensselaer passed up to Lewis's, Cassidy 
said, ' now the d — d rascal (the watchword of their chieftain) will pay for 
it.' At the moment of the conflict, it happened that Cooper, Bloodgood, 
the Cassidy's, Tayler's tenant, and about seventy of his political friends, 
all appeared. This may indeed be accident ; but much it savors of pre- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 179 

concert and of deep design. The battle soon commences; and while 
victory is suspended in equal balance, Cooper appears, not to rescue his 
wife from danger; she was of minor consequence, and committed to the 
protection of another. [Mrs. Cooper ran out of the house and took hold 
of Tayler, her father]. Not to defend Tayler from imminent danger, for 
his friends think he had the better of the battle, and stood in no need of 
assistance; but Cooper appears, crying 'knock the d — d rascal down.' 
He passed Van Rensselaer and took hold of him or his cane, probably 
the latter; for the small end of his cane being arrested behind would 
bring the large end forward against Tayler's breast, as described by the 
witnesses, and the force of the blow being spent, the cane easily be 
arrested from Mr. Van Rensselaer's hand. Cooper not only thus assisted 
to disarm Van Rensselaer, but, as one witness declares, struck him. And, 
when bleeding and defenseless, he lay prostrate upon the earth, he kicked 
him on the side; that side, in which great and continued pain loug re- 
mained, without any other cause that has or can appear. This conduct, 
cruel and savage as it is, does not prevent his counsel from attempting to 
present him to you in the character of a peace-maker. A peace-maker! 
What, that man who, when the battle was raging, mingled in the conflict, 
who disarmed and presented my client as a defenseless victim to the 
bludgeon of his adversary, who, constantly cried havoc, and gave his full 
assistance to the production of the catastrophe, he a peace-maker ! Gentle- 
men, if this be the conduct of peace-makers, let the blessing pronounced 
upon them be blotted from the holy record. 

" It is worthy of remark, that while Tayler was surrounded by about 
seventy of his personal and political friends. Van Rensselaer contended 
with a host alone. But, 'tis said ' Schermerhorn was there.' Yes, Scher- 
merhorn, who, as one of the witnesses swears, commanded almost the ele- 
ments; he that day was there. This giant, this Hercules, this Orlando 
Furioso, was there. But that he raised his hand against any one, until 
Van Rensselaer was nearly murdered by the joint attacks of Tayler, Blood- 
good, and Cooper, is not pretended by any mortal. 

" These, gentlemen, are the facts applicable to the cases of Tayler and 
Cooper. That they participated in the outrage, that they gave their full 
assistance to the destruction of my client, is beyond a doubt. That by 
their instrumentality, the mob was collected and the catastrophe produced, 
is also clear. It remains with you to say what punishment their conduct 
merits. 

" Passing over the causes of Tayler and Cooper, aggravating, and dis- 
gusting as they are, I approach one of a very difi"erent complexion ; one 
which neither friend or foe can examine without extreme pain. Such a 
case I have never witnessed, of such an one I have never read, and for 
the honor of human nature, I trust such a case will never again appear 
for judicial investigation. I am not an enemy of Mr. Bloodgood ; but I 
have, gentlemen, a sacred duty to perform ; and if in the discharge of 
that duty, I lay him naked before himself, if I paint his conduct loathsome 
and shocking to humanity, he and his friends will be pleased to remenjber, 
that he furnished the detestable original. He has permitted this cause to 
come to this situation, where the silence of counsel would be treason to 
the client. In examining this cause I must, and I will, as far as in me 
lies, discharge the duty I owe to a worthy client and a suffering friend. 

" Permit me, first, to examine the apology or defense set up for this man's 
conduct. It is comprised in this : ' He was in a frenzy of passion ; and 



180 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

thought his friend, Judge Tayler, in imminent danger.' Judge Tayler, 
who had grown gray in the study of the pugilistic art ; whose dexterity 
and experience in the use of the cane, could not be unknown to those who 
were bound to him by a ' triple cord;' Judge Tayler, whose herculean 
stature speaks his prowess; who, with the assistance of his hopeful son- 
in-law, had disarmed his adversary, and who, surrounded by seventy de- 
pendents armed with bludgeons, was in contest with a single man ; this 
same Judge Tayler, thus situated, was in such imminent danger, as to 
justify Ijloodgood in the murder of his adversary ! That Mr. Blood- 
good was frantic with rage, is certainly undeniable. But why was he so ? 
Had General Van Rensselaer ever, from his infancy, performed one act, 
or uttered one syllable that could justly kindle all his malignant passions 
into a conflagration so uncontrollable ? Had he injured Bloodgood ? On 
the contrary was not this man one of that very meeting which originated 
the vile slander against the general ? Had he been in any way attacked 
for his participation in this outrage? Not at all. What then is the force 
of this paltry attempt in his justification ? Without the slightest provo- 
cation, he tramples on justice, discharges his reason and his judgment, 
gives himself up to the control of his malice and his passion, and then 
pleads that very passion in excuse for the consequences of its violence. 
Now, gentlemen, examine the conduct of this man. While the contest 
continued between the general and Tayler, and none of the spectators 
thought proper to interfere, Bloodgood, whether from Robison's corner, 
or from the site of the old church, or from Tayler's house, is wholly im- 
material, rushes into the street, crying " kill the damned rascal ; " an ex- 
pression used as a watchword by every member of the party, from Tayler 
to Cassidy. He then rushed behind Van Rensselaer, and with the butt 
of his bludgeon (the smaller end being grasped by both his hands) he 
aimed a blow which brought his victim to the ground. Gentlemen, what 
language can be found to express the deep infamy of this act ? While 
engaged with Tayler in iront, Bloodgood, like a man abandoned by every 
feeling of honor, of courage, and even of manhood, strikes a blow from 
behind with a violence which nothing could withstand. Attacked in this 
assassin-like manner, Van Rensselaer falls. At this, Tayler gave way, 
and, as thougii indignant at the infamous conduct of his coadjutor, left 
the ground. And even Cooper, having kicked his victim while wallowing 
in his gore, also retired and left the scene clear to the humane assassin 
who had brought him to the ground. Partially recovering from the effects 
of the blow, Van Rensselaer attempts to rise. But before he can recover, 
another blow from Bloodgood again brings him nearly to the ground. At 
this moment the crowd rush forward. Pale, bleeding, feeble. Van Rens- 
selaer now totters from the fatal spot. Still frantic with rage, Bloodgood, 
as though nothing but the expiring groans of his defenseless victim could 
satisfy his mighty malice, still rushes upon him. Yes. gentlemen, a de- 
fenseless victim he truly was. His wandering eyes, his deathlike visage, 
spoke his disordered senses. Instinct taught him to strive for the pre- 
servation of his life ; and, therefore, he raised his feeble guard against, 
he knew not what or whom. Bloodgood, still unsatisfied, still thirsting 
for blood, unmoved by this spectacle of weakness and wounds boats down 
his guard, and continues the savage attack. Blow succeeds blow, and 
wound succeeds wound, until the indignant spirit of the soldier, tempered 
with the faith of an expiring Christian, exclaims in agony, ' Oh my 
Jesus ! ' At this moment, as if forsaken by his God, as if given up to the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 181 

perpetration of a crime at wliich his soul must still shudder; at this 
moment. when his mutilated victim could find protection from no human arm, 
and when, seemingly in vain, he cried to the (xod of mercy, this frantic 
man again drew his fell weapon in both his hands, raised himself as if to 
superadd the weight of his body to the strength of his arm, and seemed 
to aim the final blow at his feeble, bloody, and almost expiring adversary. 
Instantly IMr. William James, as a rescuing angel, rushed forward and 
arrested the arm of this infuriated, this forsaken man. To him alone is 
it owing that this trial is permitted to be had. But for his instantaneous 
presence the fatal blow would have fallen ; a blow which would have 
widowed two families and left their children orphans ; a blow, which 
must have sent to its long account the soul of a patriot and a soldier, and 
have drawn down the vengeance of justice and of heaven upon its bloody 
author. Let that unhappy man join in devoutly thanking the great dis- 
poser of events, that this was not permitted. 

" This, gentlemen, is a correct portrait of this bloody scene. That it is 
a picture compounded by the blackest shades, without one tint of bright- 
ness ; that it exhibits a creature of earth in all the naked deformity of 
corrupted human nature; that it displays all the vile passions and quali- 
ties which can reduce ' social man to a civilized savage,' is unhappily, 
wholly undeniable. And upon a full view of this infernal transaction, it 
is now your duty to mete out to General Van Rensselaer, the damages 
"which his sufferings and his present ruined situation require at your hands. 
From whom are these damages to be taken ? From men, wallowing iu 
wealth; basking in the sunshine of political favor; monopolizing all the 
emoluments of the treasury, and enjoying the most lucrative offices in the 
state. As to one of them, it is, beyond all doubt, the first in point of emol- 
ument, of any in this state. No small sum will reach their feelings. Award 
against them but a few thousand dollars, and they will, laughingly, assign 
a portion of their income, for a few months, to pay the award. 

" And, to whom are these damages to be given ? To a soldier, who, in 
the field of battle, has proved his patriotism and his bravery, and has, 
emphatically, learned that mutual dependence is the strong cord which 
binds ingenuous souls together; that the only proper use of wealth is to 
render ourselves and friends happy. To a soldier, who is a brother to the 
whole human race ; whose heart pants to find the object of charity, and 
whose hand has never withheld from a friend in want even the price of 
his blood and his wounds. To a soldier, in whom, even while a youth, 
his country reposed the most unbounded confidence, and towards whom 
the veterans of our land cast a partial eye, and destined him for high 
military glory. To a soldier, who, by this cruel, this dastardly, this 
barbarous outrage, is compelled to drag out a life of pain and wretched- 
ness. Should he be permitted to retain his present office, while there 
are few or no active duties to be discharged ; yet his activity is gone, and 
the pride of his office and fame is vanished for ever. But should war, 
with which we are so loudly threatened, actually visit us, conscious of the 
want of health to discharge the arduous duties of his office, he must 
abandon his profession, and cast himself and his family upon the tender 
mercies of a republic. 

" What portion of pain has he now already endured. What agony has 
been thrown upon his family. Behold him returned to the arms of a 
disconsolate wife, covered with wounds, and in a situation but a little 
above death. Scarce one ray of hope is afforded by the physicians. 



182 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Behold his wretched days and sleepless nights. Of his senses occasion- 
ally bereft and tottering to his grave in pain and misery. 

" Gentlemen, observe him well, and say, what ought those monsters who 
have produced this ruin, to suffer for their savage conduct. With what 
sum can they, who are the guilty cause of all these sufferings, satisfy jus- 
tice and remunerate the sufferer. This is the past. What are his future 
prospects ? Forever blasted by this fatal blow ; disqualified to pursue 
the culture of his farm, the occupation in which he delights, and chained 
to that narrow round, which his feeble limbs are able to bear him ; torn 
from the fond embrace of his country which had lavished upon him her 
esteem, only, in proportion to the pledges he had given of future great- 
ness; and finally barred from the possibility of rising to that bright emi- 
nence which was the darling object of his youth, the delight of his riper 
years. 

" Gentlemen, view him well, and then tell me, shall not the ruffians who 
have destroyed him forever, repair, to tlie full extent of their ability, the 
ruin they have caused ? Shall they not, with their fortunes, assist to miti- 
gate his pains, and smooth his passage to the tomb t ,, n\ tt? » 
^ ^ ^ f o a J] Williams. ' 

" Awards in the several causes — with costs to be taxed against the 
defendants in each cause. Jenkins vs. Van Rensselaer, $2,500; Van 
Rensselaer vs. Tayler, $300 ; The same vs. Cooper, $500 ; The same vs. 
Bloodgood, $3,700." 

" The truly noble, warmhearted, honorable Elisha Williams, of 
Hudson, New York, was born August 29, 1773, and died in the city of 
New York, at the residence of his early guardian. Captain Seth Grosvenor, 
June 29, 1833. He was the once famous barrister justly styled the 
Curran of America, the charm of whose eloquence still lingers about the 
Court House in Hudson, and the memory of whose remarkable powers as 
an advocate still serves as an incentive to many a poor student, as he pores 
over the legal lore of Blackstone and Chitty. He possessed a mind of 
superior mould, and he combined in his character a rare assemblage of great 
and splendid qualities; he was a man of rapid and quick preceptions, and 
was remarkable for his imitatipe, imaginative and descriptive power, for 
his brilliant wit, and his surpassing eloquence. He was exceedingly 
interesting in convei'sation, warm hearted and ardent in his attachments ; 
and he was liberal, generous and charitable. He was as greatly distin- 
guished for his personal appearance, as he was for his superior intellectual 
powers ; he was above medium size and height, and perfectly erect and 
corpulent. His countenance was indescribably animated and expressive, 
and his general aspect denoted great superiority; a stranger would be 
forcibly struck with his majestic and dignified appearance, and without 
hearing him speak, would be conscious that he was in the presence of an 
extraordinary man. Mr. Williams had a very extensive practice. He 
possessed a deep, varied and profound knowledge of human nature, which 
enabled him to exert an unbounded influence over a jury; he always 
studied the character of the juries whom he addressed and swayed them 
by his powerful intellect, brilliant wit and matchless eloquence. He com- 
menced the practice of law at an early age, and rose rapidly to eminence 
in his profession; and as a jury lawyer, he has never had a superior in 
this or any other country." 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 183 

Judge Van I^ess to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Hudson 21st July, 1807. 

On Thursday next Mr. Scliermerhorn's note at our bank falls due, of 

which I have just received notice, will you inform him of this, so that he 

may prepare accordingly ? 

1 have not heard from or about you since I was at your house. I see 

you and the Governor, however, are in great majesty busy organizing our 

military post 

Already the British Lion humbles himself before the Eagle, you and 

the Governor have unfurled, and one more general order expressing two 

or three more "lively hopes" will make the poor Lion run and yelp like 

a wounded puppy- 
Take good care your Eagle does not turn out to be an Owl. But to be 

serious, I want to know whether you are well or not (from that attack in 

April) when may I expect you and your wife, whom I love almost as much 

as I do my own, here ? 

Pray your Excellency just drop a body a line or two in answer hereto. 

If you and the Governor, however, are so much engaged in the defence 

of the Nation that you have no time to write, Mrs. Van Rensselaer will 

probably be good enough to favor us with an answer. My wife and little 

ones are well. Yours affectionately & sincerely 




Sol. Van Rensselaer, Esq 



In 1807 Governor Lewis was succeeded by Daniel D. Tompkins ; and 
the same year Albany was made the capital of the state. Late in the 
autumn, at the particular request of Governor Tompkins, Solomon Van 
Rensselaer was in New York city, a member of his own family, to aid 
him in arranging for the defense of the city, but he was still suffering 
from his wounds. 

In August 1807 the first steamboat made its appearance; it was an ob- 
ject of anxiety and wonder. As the Clermont, under the immediate 
supervision of Robert Fulton (the eminent inventor of steamboats), was 
slowly coming up the Hudson river from New York on its first success- 
ful trip, a farmer living on the banks of the Hudson, hastened home to 
apprise his wife and neighbors that he had seen the devil going up the 
river in a saw-mill. This apparition of the first steamboat was a marvelous 
phenomenon. When the Indians assembled in groups along the river's 
bank, they looked at the " monster as it moved on the water, defying the 
winds and tide, and breathing flames and smoke, as a fire spirit, which was 
lighting its path by the fires which it vomited. The first steamboat, 
as others yet do, used dry pine wood for fuel, which sends forth a column 
of ignited vapor, many feet above the flue, and whenever the fire .is stirred, 
a galaxy of sparks fly off' which in the night have an airy, brilliant, and 
beautiful appearance. The uncommon light first attracted the attention 
of the crews of other vessels and from them she had a most terrific appear- 
ance. Notwithstanding the wind and tide were adverse to its approach, 



184 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

they saw with astonishment that it was rapidly coming towards them ; and 
when it came so near, that they heard the noise of the machinery and pad- 
dles, the crews, in some instances, shrunk beneath their decks from the 
terrible si<^ht; others prostrated themselves, and besougiit Providence to 
protect them from the approach of the horrible monster. She excited the 
astonishment of the venerable Dutch burgomaster who almost dropped his 
precious pipe as with strained eyes he exclaimed Dunder en hlicksem." 

Judge Van Ness to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Hudson, 29th August, 1807. 

I do not believe it is your fault, so I have nothing more to say than I 
wish you the richest blessings which are bestowed on man. 

Yours &c., W. W. Van Ness. 

But Madam, to you I have much to say, you promised me and my wife 
to be here last week. Day after day have we strained our eyes east, west 
& north in expectation of seeing you approach our humble mansion. 
Disappointment saddened us for sometime, until reiterated again & again 
we are roused into passion & mortification. Your husband I know is 
willing to spend a few days with us. If even you do not wish to favor us 
with a visit, why not indulge him in doing so ? But come my friends, 
let us forget the past and start anew, you are largely in our debt. But I 
release the whole provided, that sometime next week you, and little Van 
Vechten, and as many more of the children as you please are with us. 
Thank God we have room enough & altho' we abound not in wealth, & 
roll not in splendor, we have peace & plenty. To be serious, both Jenny 
& myself are not a little hurt. If there are any persons on earth whose 
friendship we' want, whose society we wish to court, & whose good opinion 
to preserve, it is yours. I have reason to believe this disposition to be 
mutual, let us cherish & perpetuate it. It is possible I shall be obliged 
to go to New York to-morrow. If so you shall hear from me by Tues- 
day's mail. If you do not hear from me then, you of course will conclude 
I am at home. I began the latter part of this scrawl to Mrs. Van. I see 
however it will answer to be directed to the firm. 

Yours affectionately, W. W. Van Ness. 

The foregoing memorial of his Majesty my Lord and Master is sanc- 
tioned by your friend. Jane Van Ness. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esqr., Adjutant General, Albany. 

Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Claverack i 30th April 1808. 

Federalism has triumphed most gloriously in this Country. We 
have at least 600 majority 200 more than ever we had. If Rensselaer 
County is faithful we shall carry both our members of Congress. Hasten 
to communicate this to our friend Abraham Van Vechten [Recorder]. 
Let somebody write us about members of Congress &c. &c., in Rensselaer 
and Washington Counties as soon as possible. I shall soon again be ab- 
sent from my family, it is upon the whole an unpleasant life which my 
office obliges me to lead, but I must endeavour to reconcile myself to it 
as well as I can. Why can't you and your wife take a ride to Claverack 

' Claveraek, literally signified Clover-reach, so called in its settlement from the 
immense fields of clover which abounded at this place. 



Legacy of Uistorical Gleanings, 185 

and see us ? We are snuely situate(l, would be liappy to see you and [ 
want to see you about a thousand tilings. Do try; if you stay but one 
day suppose you start on Saturday. You can spend Sunday with us and 
return if your business drives you on Monday again. Mention this to 
your wife & come down if possible. It just occurs to me that our friend 
the Recorder [Abraham Van Vechten] and his wife would perhaps accom- 
pany you. Speak to him about it and try to make up a party at all events 
mention me to hitu with that friendship and esteem which I have for him 
and which I cherish as a great blessing. Make my respects to your wife, 
and please to tell her that I think of her as often as she can wish & that 
I ardently wish her happy & prosperous. 

Yours as I ever shall be, affectionately, W. W. Van Ness. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq., Albany, N. Y. 

Oov. Morgan Lewis to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Staatsburgh 2d May 1808. 

I should with pleasure have attended the Trial of your Causes agreeable 
to your wishes, had your Letter reached me in Time to have rendered it 
practicable. I presume however that the abundance of Testimony you 
must have been furnished with, rendered any Thing I could have said 
of little Consequence to you. I have not as yet heard of the Result. If 
they have been tried before an honest Jury, I cannot doubt but you have 
recovered handsome Damages. I am much obliged to you for your 
friendly offers of writing to promote the object hinted at in my former 
letter. But the Idea I have (whether right or wrong is immaterial) of 
my Standing in Society, forbids my being au Applicant for any public 
Situation. Should my future Services be deemed necessary on any Oc- 
casion, the demand of them must be made free from even the Shadow of 
Solicitation or the most distant Hint of a wish on my part. 

How has the Election gone in your Quarter & the Counties adjoining 
you? In Ulster & Green, Gardinier is probably again elected to Congress ; 
& in this County, Emmott's prospects are better than those of that old 
sinner Johnson. Ulster & Dutchess will return to the Assembly a mixture 
of Quids, Feds and Clintonians. In this County, Robert Williams who 
has turned Tail, made up the Hash, and the Quids literally suflFered him 
to gull them. It is asserted among the Clintonians here, that Sefden of 
Troy is to be your Successor and is to attend Daniel D. on the fourth of 
July when he is to appear in all the pomp of Military splendour. How 
does the Attorney General (John Woodworth) relish his removal, and 
what says his Papa to this Reward of his past Services ? Does the old 
Man with Roman Virtue subscribe to the propriety of such conduct, or 
does he bounce & swear a little? Southwick's Appointment (as Sheriff) 
instead of Dennison, has I presume procured the Clerkship for Cooper, by 
way of Amends for old Tayler's pretended Disappointment; and Isaac 
Dennison I suppose has a firm belief that his Uncle played him fair, and 
that there was no Contrivance at all on his part. 

Adieu, I hope soon to take you by the Hand, tho' I doubt whether it 
will be before you have regained the Post of Honor, by a reduction to the 
rank of a private Citizen. Mrs. Lewis desires to be affectionately remem- 
bered by all the Inhabitants of Cherry Hill. 

Y''our friend & Servt. 

M. Lewis. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esqr., Adj. General, Albany, N. Y. 

24 



186 . Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Major General Morgan Lewis was a true patriot and labored earnestly 
to advance the best interest of his country. In 1777 he was deputy 
quarter master general, was present at the battle of Stillwater on Septem- 
ber 19th. When he returned from the field, being questioned by General 
Gates, he reported the undecisive progress of the action ; at which Gen. 
Arnold, who was standing near, exclaimed, " I will soon put an end to it." 
and clapping spurs to his horse, galloped off at full speed; Colonel Lewis 
immediately observed to General Gates : '' You had better order him back, 
the action is going well, he may by some rash act do mischief." 

Governor Lewis to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Staatsburgh, 4th Sept., 1808. 

I should have given an earlier Answer to your polite favor of the 31st 
Ult°. had I not been absent from Home when it reached my House. 

The Decision of the Arbitrators does not Surprise me. It requires 
Men of great firmness of Mind to do complete Justice on Such an Oc- 
casion. 

They certainly have been guided by no Rule, and must have forgotten 
that Tayler was an original ofiender, and attacked with a Club, while 
Cooper only acted as an Aid, and used the weapons which Nature gave him. 

I should be sorry to think that Tayler's being President of the Bank 
produced any Efi"ect, and yet I Suspect it will be thought so by many. 
When shall we have the Pleasure of seeing you and Mrs. Rensselaer at 
this Place ? Your friend & Servant. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Adjut. General, Albany. Morgan Lewis. 

In those good, palmy old days, sixty-seven years ago, many persons were 
then " lachrymosely bewailing the existing state of things." 

" If we all could unite with the Puritan mystic (Peter Sterry) doctrines : 
Let all that differ in principles, professions or opinions, and forms, join to 
see that good which is in each other, and the evil in themselves," there 
would be a steady improvement, and a better state of things. We then 
might hope with a certainty that the very times on which we have fallen, 
' old times' to those who come after, will be even clothed with the mar- 
velously roseate hues we love to invest our by-gone years. 

Gen. Wilkinson to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Washington, Sept. 14th, 1808. 

I have this moment received your letter of the 6th Jany. & will reply 
by a single line. I had anticipated your wishes & had also nominated 
Visscher. If we have an army & I have influence he shall have a 
Majority. But at this moment, I am struggling against a torrent 
of Slander & Calumny, exceeding everything which has past, having dis- 
graced John Randolph for a Coward & being about to report Daniel 
Clark as an accomplice of Aaron Burr, the one to gratify his resentment 
& the other to avenge the disappointment of the Conspirators, have as- 
sailed my Honor with made up documents, perjuries, & forgeries, and on 
the floor of Congress where privilege sometimes sanctions the most vil- 
lainous abuse, they have worried & torn & mangled my Honor, without 
feeling or conscience. Yet let not my friends be appalled. I thank high 
Heaven I shall be able to vindicate my Fame, & save my Brethren in 
Arms from Blushing for ray shame. In the first moment of Randolph's 
Anathema I demanded a Court of Inquiry into my Conduct, which was 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 187 

ordered for the 10th Inst., & will actually convene to-morrow, when I 
shall offer a preliminary address which will make my Enemies stare, in 
the meantime say for me that Clark is the author of this attack, which 
was digested in New Orleans last Summer, by the Associates of Burr & 
the Mexican combination, who will seek my ruin as long as they are per- 
mitted to hang together. He came round & brought with Him the 
villainous power to Swear for Burr at Richmond, they arrived there got 
alarmed & after several conferences with Burr, Clark went off without 
appearing before the Court. I will prove Him an accomplice of Burr, 
tliat He tampered with an officer of the army to induce Him to attack & 
take Baton Kouge in the summer 180(i, which by producing hostilities 
would have effected Burr's plans. This villain has perjured himself to 
destroy me, but it will not do. I am sorry that your relative here 
[Killian K. Van Rensselaer, M. C] & Mr. Barent Gardenier should have 
espoused the part of Randolph & this Scoundrel Clark before they knew 
what I had to say. My best regards to Visscher. 

Your friend most truly, 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esqr., Ja. Wilkinson. 

Adjt. General State of New York, Albany. 

Oovernor Lewis to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Staatsburgh March 2, 1809. 

I shall have some Pear grafts put up for you and will send them by the 
first safe conveyance that offers. I hope they will succeed better with 
you than they do with me. A disease, which I cannot find a remedy for, 
is destroying them as fast as I can replace them, and I fear will oblige me 
eventually to give them up. 

It certainly would give me great pleasure to be instrumental in the 
gratification of your wishes as to the regiment of Cavalry ; and nothing 
shall be wanting on my part to effect that object, which can be done with 
the least prospect of success. I have already adopted the Measure which 
appears to me the most likely to succeed, but I cannot for certain reasons, 
acquaint you with it, until the issue shall be known. From what quarter 
Mayor Backus' recommendations proceed I am ignorant, but I under- 
stand he is considered at Washington as an able ofiicer. Has he ever 
been in Service ? I do not believe you will be gratified in seeing me in 
the Situation you wish, there are many Circumstances which will operate 
as a Bar to it. If I mistake not, an arrangement is about to take place, 
which is not suspected by many, and which will leave little room for 
those who are not already in Employ' ment. We shall not be able to com- 
ply with our Engagement of paying a Visit this winter to our friends in 
Albany. We have with us our two eldest Boys, whose education employs 
all our time and furnishes sufiicient inducements for us to stay at home. 
Our friends therefore must excuse us, and accept in lieu of a personal 
Attendance our best respects, with which are united our best Wishes for 
the happiness of you and yours. Federal Majorities will probably be ob- 
tained at next election in Dutchess & Ulster, all due to DeWitt Clinton. 
With Sincerity I am your friend and Servt. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer, Esq., Adjt. General. Morgan Lewis. 

General Van Rensselaer to the Public. 

"Albany, Tuesday, March 28, 1809. 
"My recent removal from the honorable ofiice of Adjutant General of 
this state, constrains me, in justice to myself, my family, and friends, 



188 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

to publish a concise and plain statement of facts : After having been for 
seventeen years in the njilitary service of the United States and of this 
state, and, as I trust, having discharged my duty with fidelity, it has been 
the pleasure of his Excellency Governor Tompkins and the Council of 
Appointment, to renjove me from oiSce, notwithstanding his repeated 
declarations of unqualified approbation of my official conduct. At the 
age of eighteen years, I was appointed a Cornet in the squadron of cavalry 
in the army commanded by Major General Anthony Wayne. At twenty, 
T was promoted to the command of a troop. In the action of 20th August, 
179-4, after the commanding officer of that corps fell, the command de- 
volved on me. How I acquitted myself, the dispatches from Gen. Wayne 
to the war department bear ample testimony. [" The wounds received by 
Captain Van Rensselaer of the dragoons and others of the mounted vol- 
unteers bear honorable testimony of their bravery and conduct. But 
whilst I pay just tribute to the living, I must not neglect the gallant 
dead, among whom we have to lament the early death of those worthy 
and brave officers Capt. Robert Ms. Campbell of the dragoons and Lieut. 
Towels of the Infantry of the legion, who fell in the first charge."] On 
that occasion, I received a wound through my lungs, which was con- 
sidered, at first, by the surgeons of the army, to be mortal but which my 
youth and strong constitution surmounted. When the conduct of France 
towards this country made it necessary for the general government to 
augment the army, and when the Father of his country, the immortal 
Washington, was again called upon to place himself at its head, he sent 
for me, and, in the presence of Generals Hamilton and Pinckney, ques- 
tioned me about the state of my wound, and soon after I was appointed a 
Major of Cavalry. When the army was reduced, I received, under the 
administration of that great and good man Governor Jay, the appoint- 
ment of Adjutant-General of the militia of this state. When Mr. Jay 
was succeeded by Governor George Clinton, and when almost every fede- 
ralist was swept from office by that council, of which DeWitt Clinton, and 
the Honorable Judge Ambrose Spencer were members, I was left undis- 
turbed. This did not arise from any solicitation on my part, but from 
the honorable resistance of Governor Clinton against my removal, who 
informed me that a petition for that purpose had been put into the hands 
of John C. Ilogeboom, then a member of the council. I called on Mr. 
Hogeboom, and after communicating to him the information I had re- 
ceived, and the channel through which it came, he unhesitatingly shewed 
me the petition. The charge against me was. the heinous crime of fede- 
ralism. I am thus explicit in mentioning names, that my enemies may 
have an opportunity of contradicting my statement, if it is incorrect. 
When Governor Clinton retired from office, be recommended me in strong 
terms to his successor, as he told me at the time, and which Governor 
Lewis afterwards confirmed. How I stood with the latter gentleman, it 
is unnecessary for me to state. I have only to regret, that his honorable 
and impartial conduct as the governor of the state and not of a party, 
was one cause of his failing of a re-election. He would not submit to 
be made the supple tool of DeWitt Clinton and Ambrose Spencer, and 
they therefore selected his successor [Daniel D. Tompkins], hoping that 
he would be a fitter instrument to promote their uohallowed ambition. 
How far that hope has been realized, the community can determine. 
Last winter, when it was notorious that there were many applications for 
my office, and when it was generally supposed that my removal was cer- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 189 

tain, I called on Governor Tompkins, to know whether it was the inten- 
tion of the council to remove me, and I informed him that the reason of 
my inquiry was, because my private arrangements depended on a know- 
ledge of that fact. His reply was, that he had no wish to make a change, 
for he was perfectly satisfied with my conduct, and had expressed 
himself so to some of my friends ; but that I had better speak to some of 
the members of the council. My answer was, that I had never asked any 
member of the council to continue me in office, and that I never would — 
that if he did not wish for a change, the council had no right to inter- 
fere — that the business of my office was not with them, but with him. 
He then observed, that if that unfortunate affray (meaning my suits 
against three cowardly wretches) was settled, there would be no difficulty. 
My reply was, that if my continuance in office depended on a compromise 
of these suits, it would be better to remove me at once, for that I was de- 
termined to bring the circumstances of that affray fairly before the 
public ; and I pressed him to know the determination of the Council. 
This application I repeated on a subsequent day, as I apprehended my 
removal might lay over until after the determination of the suits before 
mentioned. He told me that if I requested it, he would virge the deci- 
sion of the Council. A day or two afterwards I called on him again, and 
he then informed me, that the Council had no intention of removing me 
at their then session, but what they would do at their meeting in June, 
they declined saying. I mentioned to Governor Tompkins that I under- 
stood the thing perfectly, and that under such circumstances, I should 
not let my farm, which I intended to do, if I remained in office. He 
observed in answer, ' I don't know but it is best.' 

" On Tuesday of last week I called on the Governor upon business; after 
finishing it, and as I was about to leave the room, he called me back, and 
told me that my removal had been agitated in the Council the day before, 
that he had put it off until he could see me, on account of the promise he 
made me last winter, to give me notice whenever such an event was re- 
solved upon ; and that he believed it would now be accomplished, as a 
member of the Council had pressed it. I observed to the Governor, that I 
was much obliged to him for his information, but that I had nothing to say 
on the subject, except I requested of him, that if there were any charges 
against me, he would give me an opportunity of meeting and repelling 
them ; to which he answered, that there were no charges against me, and 
that he was satisfied that none could be brought against my official conduct ; 
that my removal would be on account of my politics and the affray. I 
have now a word or two to say about a trio of precious spirits, to whose 
dastardly malice and persecuting villainy, I have, in all probability, fallen 
a sacrifice. 

"The first in order, as in the attack on me, is John Tayler, a grave 
Senator of this state. I had supposed that his vindictive spirit had been 
fully glutted, by seeing me at death's door, in consequence of the joint 
and cowardly attack made upon me by himself and his assassin like asso- 
ciates, Bloodgood and Cooper, in the ruin of my health, and, perhaps my 
future prospects in life; and that he would not, still further to gratify his 
malice, have connived at, and encouraged the taking of bread from a much 
injured and unoffending family. If he panted to revenge to a still more 
savage extent the merited chastisement which I inflicted on Mr. Jenkins 
(and of which the same John Tayler was the cause, by urging and advo- 
cating the base slander against me which produced it, and which he knew 



190 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

at the time to be false) why did he not call on me like a man of honor ? 
I had hoped, that the alarm which he felt during my hopeless illness, oc- 
casioned by the wounds and bruises which he and his coadjutors had in- 
flicted upon me that the remorse he felt, (if he is capable of feeling) for 
the death of the most enlightened citizen of this state, [Gren. Alexander 
Hamilton] of which he, as I verily believe, was the occasion, by a base 
disclosure of a confidential conversation, would have secured me against 
the further effects of his boundless malignity. 

" As for Francis Bloodgood, the clerk of the Supreme Court, no lan- 
guage is strong enough to express my abhorrence of him, or convey an 
adequate idea of his dark, malignant, cowardly, assassin-like villainy. 
His very looks are an index of the malignity of his heart; he is a disgrace 
to human nature; and I derive some consolation from the reflection, that 
he has incurred what he deserves the detestation of every liberal and 
honorable man. 

" My resentment against Charles D. Cooper, is not great. He is too con- 
temptible to excite my indignation. From this humble dependent on 
Taylor's bounty, who is looking with anxious eyes for the period when 
he will succeed to the greatest share of his property, little else than what 
has happened could be expected. 

" If this language is deemed harsh and grating, let it be recollected, that 
the persons to whom it relates cannot be justly represented in any other. 
It is not in my nature to glory over a fallen and disgraced enemy. I can 
therefore say nothing more about Mr. Jenkins, the Secretary of State, 
than that I equally pity and despise him. 

" Sol. Van Rensselaer." 

" In one respect he was even victorious, for he challenged his opponents 
upon an issue which they could only meet by evasion and artifice. If 
either of the political parties would claim no more for themselves than they 
are willing to give, the right of being free and independent, and not be 
enslaved by a majority, it would be far better for the nation." We love 
to study the letters of ancient times; we see men and things at their full 
length, and we generally see them through a medium which is less partial, 
when presented in history, than that of experience. We see the system 
of politics on the sure and false foundations and human nature in many 
garbs, but we collect general principles and view certain rules of conduct 
with an unbiased judgment. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer to William Simmons. 
Dear Sir, Albany, January 28th, 1811. 

The Attorney of the United States for this District of New York, 
having presented an account against me for money due to the United 
States, it becomes necessary that I should know what balance, if any, is 
found against me, and with that view I transmit my account and beg you 
to fill up the blanks, which can be ascertained from the Books in your 
office. If I mistake not, in that Examination it will be found, that there 
is pay, forage and subsistence due me as Major of Cavalry, besides two 
months Pay, &c., allowed by Law as a gratuity to the disbanded officers 
of the Army. The vouchers for the expense of moving my Troop from 
Fort Washington to Knoxville, I left with Col. Ilodgeden on my return 
from the latter place in October, 1797. 

The reason why I did not settle with him then was, that the army papers 
for that year had not come on. The papers marked No. 1 & 2 are copies 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 191 

of those receipts, taken by one of his clerks, duplicates of which I have 
in my possession & will forward them if necessary, whenever a private 
occasion offers, which cannot be done conveniently by the mail, as well 
as those of my Expenditures for the Recruitiiit^ service, agreeable to 
Statement No. 8. I regret sincerely that the distance is too great for me 
to attend in person to this business, and that the same reason has pre- 
vented me heretofore, but I am induced to believe from your former 
friendly conduct and the Statement of my accounts, that there will be no 
difficulty in striking the Balance. As Mr. Sanford the District Attorney 
is now here, [Nathan Sanford,] a member of the Legislature, a convenient 
opportunity of settling with him, I must beg the favor of an early answer 
from you. I am very Respectfully your Obt. Sort., 

William Simmons, Esqr. SoL. Van Rensselaer. 

Accountant of the War Department, Washington. 

Hon. John P. Van Ness to Judge Van Ness. 

Dear Sir, Washington, Feb. 16, 1811. 

Yours of the 2Sth Ult. accompanying the papers in the case of Adjt. 
Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer were all handed to me by Mr. Knicker- 
backer [Herman Knickerbacker] some days ago. I immediately called 
on the Accouutant of the War Department, with them, for the purpose 
of an investigation &c. He proposed that the papers should be left with 
him for a few days for examination &c. I replied that as the case appeared 
a simple one, perhaps we might conveniently dispatch it immediately; 
but being informed, by him, that the other was tlie usual course ; and 
that, in addition, be was then engaged in other business, I left him in pos- 
session of the papers, uuder a promise that he would soon communicate 
with me. He appeared friendly; and at the same time expressed a regret 
that Mr. V R. had not taken the advice which he (the Accountant) had 
repeatedly given him heretofore, to have his account settled &c. A few 
days afterwards the papers were sent by him to my house, with informa- 
tion referring me to the Controller's office. I called there with Mr. 
Knickerbacker yesterday. The Controller referred them back again to 
the Accountant's office. We left them there. Last Evening Mr. Sim- 
mons informed me generally that he had examined the account &c. ; and 
that if he received the papers which it appeared Mr. V. R. has in his 
possession (and for which he had yesterday written to him) there 
would be a mere trifle, say 20 or S30 only due from him instead 
of the present stated amount. He promises me to pay every attention to 
the subject, and I shall not fail to remind him of it, if it should be ne- 
cessary. I Think the business in a good train. It has given me pleasure 
to have an opportunity of co-operating with yourself and the Adjutant 
General in endeavoring to arrange satisfactorily an affair which if not 
attended to, may become troublesome and injurious to him. And be 
assured I shall attend to any further commands you may favor me with, 
in the same temper. I thank you kindly for the offer you make me, which 
I only reciprocate. 

The present is a very interesting crisis in our political affiiirs, and it is 
becoming more so, as the Session of Congress is drawing to a close. The 
present state of foreign news is by no means satisfactory and it is not be- 
lieved that our government has, as yet, sufficient authentic data of that 
kind on which to form any system in relation to foreign affairs. The Idea 
of an extra session is gaining ground. The Bank question is laboring 



192 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

very hard in the Senate. Its fate there is admitted, on all hands, to be 
very doubtful. There are one or two Mutes in that house, on the subject, 
whose noses (strange as it may seem) cannot be found by the calculators, 
in consequence of the loss of their tongues. Upon the whole taking into 
view both houses, the advanced period of the session, and the accumulated 
mass of business, I think tioo to one, against the Bank, a fair calculation. 

I had no idea that my brother [William P. Van Ness] had the Secre- 
tary's office in view, if indeed he had any. I have not had a line from 
him since he left New York. There appears to be a flood tide again in 
the political aifairs of a part of your state that was lately ebbing ; and it 
seems, the Bark drives on with a prosperous gale. Does the storm lately 
gathered in the City of N. York, menace with its thunders the northern 
and interior parts of the State ? By all accounts Cornelius [Cornelius P. 
Van Ness] is very successful in both business and consequence in Ver- 
mont. It gives me great pleasure. My Mrs. V. Ness begs to be kindly 
remembered to your Mrs. V. Ness. Yours very sincerely, 

John P. Van Ness. 

Hon. Wm. W. Van Ness Esqr., State of New York, Albany. 

Gen. Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington, March 13, ISll. 

Yours of the 26th Ult., reached me in course. I was extremely sorry 
to hear of your Indisposition and hope by this time you are restored. 
Your account of the War Department is, as Mr. Simmons informed me he 
would advise you, finally closed. The balance against you $24 or 25. 
Simmons sent the Account up to the Comptroller, with whom I am well 
acquainted, and with whom I have had two or three conversations relative 
to your business. He will forward to the District Attorney instructions 
conformable to your wishes. Were the case my own, I would, as you 
doubtless will, immediately pay the trifle remaining due. I believe your 
wishes have been fully met in the whole arrangement. I am extremely 
happy to have had it in my power to give you a little aid in this business ; 
but, Sir, my services have been trifling, as the case required no more ; and 
they have much less claim to the polite acknowledgments you are so good 
as to make me, than my good ivishes have. 

Should any other case occur in which I can serve you, be assured of 
my disposition to do so, and believe me with consideration 

Your obedt & hble Servant, 

Adjt. Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer. John P. Van Ness. 

" John P. Van Ness was a cousin of the noble hearted and truly 
brilliant William W. Van Ness. He was born in Claverack, in the county 
of Columbia in the year 1770, and died at the city of Washington, March, 
1846, at the age of seventy-six years. He was educated at Columbia 
Colleo-e, in the city of New York, and studied law in that city, in the 
ofiice of Brockholdst Livingston. At the age of about twenty-two he 
commenced the practice of law in Columbia county. 

"In the year 1801, he was elected to congress from the district com- 
posed of the counties of Columbia and Ueusselaer. In 1802 he was 
married to a very interesting, accomplished and wealthy lady of the city 
of Washington, and as her fortune consisted principally of real estate in 
that city, he fixed his residence there until his death. He was appointed 
by President Jefi"erson, brigadier general of the militia of the district of 



Legacy of Histokical Gleanings. 193 

Columbia, and was afterwards promoted by President Madison to the rank 
of major general, which office he held for many years. lie was for 
several successive years elected mayor of the city of Washington, when 
he declined a reelection. Through his influence the Bank of the Metro- 
polis in the city of Washington was established ; he was the first president 
of that institution, and remained so until the time of his death. 

" He possessed a high order of talents, and was a man of great personal 
influence. For the last forty years of his life he was extensively known 
and celebrated for his liberality and hospitality, many of the churches, 
and the temperance hall in the city of Washington, were erected on 
grounds given by him for that purpose. During his long residence in that 
city he had formed numerous acquaintances. Few men had more devoted 
friends, and his death was greatly deplored by the people of the American 
capital, his friends and his country. 

" The Van Ness family, viz : John P. Van Ness, William P. Van Ness, 
and Cornelius P. Van Ness, is one of the most distinguished and talented 
families in this country, and are sons of Peter Van Ness. William P. 
Van Ness was the second to Aaron Burr in his fatal duel with General 
Hamilton. He was a man of transcendent talents ; he died of apoplexy 
in New York on September 6, 1826." 

Albany, July 2, 1812, Died. " This morning Brigadier General Peter 
Gansevoort of the United States Army, after a very distressing illness of 
several months, aged 62 years, 11 mos. 16 days. 

General Orders. 

Head Quarters, New York, July 6, 1812. 
The General announces to the troops in the City and harbor of New 
York, the death of Brigadier General Gansevoortat Albany on the 2d instant. 
In testimony of respect to the defender of Fort Schuyler in 1777 of an 
officer of intelligence, bravery and distinguished military merit during the 
revolutionary war, the colors will be hoisted half staff high for the day, 
and the officers wear the usual badge of mourning for one month. 

By order. 
K. H. MacPherson, Aid-de-Camp. 

Colonel Peter Gansevoort commanded Fort Stanwix during its me- 
morable siege, and conducted its defense with a vigor and success which 
crowned his name with distinguished honor, and for which he received a 
special vote of thanks from congress. In 1809, he received the commis- 
sion of brigadier-general in the army of the United States. 

He was a man of noble presence, and fearless and magnanimous spirit; 
of undaunted courage, and inflexible integrity. His public life was with- 
out a blot, while his private character was of unimpeachable morality, and 
showed distinctly the influence of Christian principle. General Ganse- 
voort was with General Montgomery in his attack on Canada in 1775, in one 
of the early letters, mention is made of his illness when at Isle Aux Noix. 



25 



194 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



CHAPTER IX. 

Declaration of "War in 1812. 

Upon the declaration of war, in 1812, by the United States against 
Great Britain, " Major Gen. Henry Dearborn had in February, been 
placed in the command of the northern frontier, with views to the inva- 
sion of Canada. Lake Champlain presented the great military highway 
to the centre of the enemy's province, and the American settlements at 
the foot of that lake were remote and exposed ; the general therefore 
judiciously determined to take his first position with the regular recruits 
in that quarter." In the progress of the campaign, the western frontier 
of the state of New York was in danger; and in defect of regular troops, 
a requisition having been made by the general government, for a body of 
New York militia, it was the pleasure of Gov. Tompkins to appoint 
General Stephen Van Rensselaer to take command of the forces 
which should be raised for the defense of the northern and western front- 
iers of this state, in answer to that requisition. 

Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer, as also the adjutant general, Colonel 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, were greatly opposed to the policy of the war, 
and both differed in politics from Governor Tompkins. General Stephen 
Van Rensselaer and Gov. Tompkins were rival candidates for the govern- 
ment of the state. When General Van Rensselaer was selected to com- 
mand the troops, it was considered by every one as rather an ambiguous 
compliment ; and it was fully supposed that under existing circumstances 
lie would refuse it, and thus injure his popularity, but for once the inter- 
ested intriguers were bafiled. When the noble man saw his country in 
danger, with true, elevated patriotism, all minor considerations were im- 
mediately laid aside, and he promptly responded to the summons. 

At the solicitation of General Stephen Van Rensselaer, my father took 
a position on his staff and joined the army for the frontier. " That officer 
entered upon his command on the loth of July, 1812, having done me 
the honor to request my services as his aid. I was anxious to serve my 
country in the contest in which she was engaged, and I did not hesitate, 
therefore, to take the situation thus offered me." The benefits of that 
war have not yet been fully realized but are beginning to be seen. It 
taught the world whether on sea or land, American arms were invincible. 
The bravery displayed in that war commanded the respect and admiration 
of the world. It taught England that the country whose freedom and 
free institutions were born in blood, would not shrink from baptizing 
them in the same element. 

" Government asked for the soldier's blood, it was freely given. It told 
the patriot to sever all the domestic ties, he cut them asunder at its bid- 
ding. It told him to take the last look of his children, and away to the 
tented field. He looked, offered one prayer for their safety, and turned 
his back on his home. Such sacrifices demand consideration and remu- 
neration. Those veterans served their country in their weakness, she 
should remember them in her strength and glory. That struggle defended 
our honor at home "ind gave us a lustrous name abroad. It developed 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 195 

the prowess of American arms as a whole and furnished some of the most 
striking instances of individual bravery, the world ever saw. A truly 
brilliant catalogue of names was added to the world's list of heroes. 
Many who served in the first struggle for independence, capped the climax 
of their glory in the war of 1812." 

Albany, July 13, 1812, General Van Rensselaer and suite set oif this 
morning for Niagara, where a large body of troops are now assembling, 
but whether for offensive or defensive measure we are not able to say. 
They are principally volunteers and militia. 

Herkimer, July 16. On Tuesday last Major Gen. Van Rensselaer, his 
aid and private secretary, passed through this village on their way to 
Niagara. We understand he is to take command of all the forces on the 
frontiers. The citizens of this village being apprized the preceding day 
of his approach came to the determination of escorting him into town. 
Accordingly about twelve o'clock a number of citizens accompanied by 
several officers of merit, formed a cavalcade under the direction of Captain 
Myers as marshall of the day, and moved to the village of Little Falls, 
where they were joined by a number of gentlemen from that village 
who were desirious of showing this meritorious officer the intended tribute 
of respect. The cavalcade then proceeded about three miles below the 
Falls where Gen. Van Rensselaer was received by them in a most cordial 
manner. Then they moved back to the Falls, where the company partook 
of an excellent dinner provided in a sumptuous manner by Major Morgan. 
After the cloth was removed a number of appropriate toasts were drank 
all breathing the true spirit of American liberty, that spirit which ani- 
mated the breasts of our fore-fathers in the glorious struggle of seventy-six. 

The general was then escorted to the village by the cavalcade, who 
observed the utmost regularity, where he was received with expressions 
of joy, and his arrival announced by a federal salute from the artillery. 

The following are a few specimens of the toasts at the dinner. By 
Gen. Van Rensselaer. The Citizens of Herkimer. May their patriotism 
in the present struggle of our country, equal their valor in the revolu- 
tionary war. 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer. A speedy and glorious termination of the 
present war. 

Mr. Lovett. The example of our fathers. Trusting in God they 
achieved our independence ; following their example, we may preserve 
the inheritance. 

After a short tarry, the general proceeded on his way, and thenceforth 
his name was identified with the military glory of his country. A mere 
narration of facts within my knowledge would not be sufficiently interest- 
ing ; something might be written of the incidents and romance of history, 
as connected with this campaign, calculated both to instruct and amuse ; 
for the recorded events will never pass into oblivion, though they have 
been but summarily despatched. There are many transactions, many ex- 
citing incidents relating to the war of 1812, which are more than fancy 
sketches, yet have to the present time remained unwritten. There were 
many divisions and heart-burnings, throughout the political masses, 
which culminated into bitterness of feeling and alienation, on the part of 
the initiated few, and now the selection of Gen. Van Rensselaer, " consider- 
ing the adverse state of his political relations to Governor Tompkins, was 
deemed an equivocal act on the part of the commander in chief of New 
York. Although the situation of Gen. V. R. was exceedingly embarrass- 



196 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

ing, yet be had one on his staff who had signalized himself by his un- 
daunted bravery." 

" Hon. John Lovett, of facetious memory, was a lawyer, a man of genius, 
and possessed great versatility of talent. He frequently wrote fugitive 
pieces of poetry full of wit and keen satire ; he always had at command a 
great variety of anecdotes, ready for use, whatever might be the subject 
of conversation. He was remarkably pleasant, and his sparkling wit and 
flashes of merriment would set the table in a roar. Although possessed of 
fine talents, he never relished the dry study of law ; skillful in the manage- 
ment of a cause before a jury, he never excelled in the argument of a ques- 
tion of law, and did not obtain that distinction as a* counselor, which was 
in his power, by applying himself more closely to judicial studies. One 
of the errors of his life was a passion for change of employment, not often 
the road to distinction or success. 

"In the war of 1812 he accompanied Generals Stephen and Solomon 
Van Rensselaer to Niagara, as secretary of the former, and honorably ac- 
quited himself in that campaign. When invited by Gen. Van Rensselaer 
to become his military aid and secretary Mr. Lovett said, ' I am not a 
soldier,' the answer, 'It is not your sivord, but your pen that I want,' de- 
cided the point. He afterwards represented the county of Albany in con- 
gress with much reputation. He purchased a tract of land on the Mau- 
mee, and commenced a settlement which he named Perrysburg, in honor 
of the gallant hero of Lake Erie. He died of the prevailing fever of the 
country at Fort Meigs in Ohio, in Aug. 1818, aged fifty-two years." 

The following letter is descriptive of the journey from Albany. 

John Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

My dear Sir, Ogdensburgh July 20, 3 812. 

If flying through air, water, mud, brush, over hills, dales, meadows, 
swamps : on wheels or horseback, and getting a man's ears gnawed off 
with mosquitoes and gallinippers make a Soldier, then have I seen service 
for — one week. I certainly intended before now to have written you, 
but I assure you I have very little leisure, and I think you will soon be 
convinced of it : Let our tracks speak for themselves. It was about 11 
o'clock before Gov. Tompkins gave us our orders, the next evening we 
were at Utica ; having fought our way again and again through Cavalry, 
Artillery &c. The hearty and cordial respect paid to our General every- 
where, is really pleasing. As we approached the Little Falls, we were 
met by a grand Troop, Carriages &c. At the Inn a superb Band saluted 
the General and played delightfully, while a very large company sat with 
us at an elegant Dinner. The escort proceeded with us to Herkimer; 
then a Salute was fired as we entered the Town, and a thousand compli- 
ments &c. &c. Before we got to LTtica the street was thronged with 
Patriots: Genl. Piatt's Cards for Dinner the next day &c. Poor souls; 
they did not know that We ivere all Soldiers ! ! Utica was full of dread- 
ful News. Sacketts Harbor was blockaded. The Oneida dismantled, her 
Guns landed, and much more of the same sort: All believed it. Our 
General, therefore, thought it his duty to abandon his route to Niagara 
aud visit Sacketts Harbor : so away we flew, and found all we had heard 
was false. Could I see you, I might talk much ; but I shall ivrite little 
of Sacketts Harbor. There are about 200 Militia at the harbor, not a 
word of them. The Oneida was there still. Woolsey invited our General 
on board, the yards were manned in the twinkling of an eye, three cheers 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 197 

from a truly hearty Crew, then " Starboard, Fire," " Port, Fire," " Star- 
board, Fire," "Port, Fire," and so on, about as fast as you will read it j 
until all was blue. Then the Crew were exercised in all possible shapes. 
Truly, truly in style; but this another time for I see I shall soon be 
called oiF. Now will not your heart ache when I tell you that this Brig 
can be burnt at any hour the British choose to do it. They have the 
Royal George of superior force, the Earl Maria 14 Guns, Prince Regent 
10 or 12 Guns and one more, Duke of Gloucester. Woolsey is trying to 
mount a 32 pounder in a Schooner, and 6-9 pounders on board a sloop ; 
both vessels now lying in the harbor. 

Woolsey is also with the assistance of the Militia, erecting a small Bat- 
tery on the harbor to secure, if possible, the retreat of the Oneida if hard 
pressed by superior force. Can you conceive how important Lake Ontario 
and the St. Lawrence are to us ? if so, pray answer me ; Why have we 
not 10 Gun Boats there. That force, at present, would answer us. Sackett 
Adieu. Sad tidings from the County of St Lawrence ; the Inhabitants 
are punic struck, and flying off in shoals ? To quiet them, to give them 
confidence and constancy to keep their homes, secure their crops, &c. &c. 
our General deemed an object worthy his attention. Therefore down we 
came to Watertown and on to this place about 80 miles of the most horrid 
road I ever saw, in a great part of it, two miles an hour is quick riding. 
The Inhabitants have fled like foolish children, from just such danger, 
and no greater, as our General was in all day yesterday. Now after we 
have put all right here, we shall return to Sackett's Harbor, and if no 
bones are broken, we shall then go on to Oswego, and from thence to Niag- 
ara, where in about two weeks I hope to lie like a Soldier on my own 
Blankets free from the infernal bugs which have already gnawed away 
ten per cent of my whole frame, legs inclusive. When I get encamped I 
will write you ; at present I can only sketch. 

All I shall here say of my General is, that Albany may justly be proud 
that ?he has such a citizen. Solomon was born for war. We all travel 
as harmoniously as heart can wish ; and you may depend on it we have 
enough to do, go where we will. On the Frontiers, our General is hailed, 
almost as a new Washington. * * * 

I told you I should not give up first, I told you true, I have perfect 
health ; and as much activity as is necessary ; I believe I might say, as 
almost any man of my age. I shall say a word of this place after I have 
looked about a little ; this is only bringing up my journal a little. I have 
nothing to say of the War ; only when the whole truth shall be told, and 
understood, heaven and earth must stand amazed. Write me the news, 
and direct to Niagara. Heaven only knows how or when I shall return. 
I feel perfectly warranted in saying that, it was altogether desirable that 
I should come along. I see and hear many things and shall try to remem- 
ber some. I write in such haste that I fear you will not be able to read. 
As to my little Flock, do step up and cheer them : I trust they will not 
suffer for any thing. My Horse is just what I expected, and he who trav- 
els with me, must ride a good horse or not keep up. I have not rubbed 
a hair off him in all this heat and dreadful rains. 22d. I have looked 
much about here to satisfy me that Ogdensburgh is one of the most charm- 
ingly situated places in the world. Fancy could hardly mend it, and the 
People are equal to the place. Driving, Cards, Tea Parties and all in ele- 
gatft style. Glorious times for Soldiers. Good night. 

To Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. John Lovett. 



198 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 
My dear Harriet, O^deosburg, July 22, 1812. 

This night I shall be engaged in a most desperate enterprise, to board 
a British armed vessel lying in the St. Lawrence oflp this Harbor. I have 
only Militia to accompany me on this important service ; of course I shall 
be compelled to expose myself in a high degree as an example to them to 
do their duty. I will succeed or fall. If the latter, let me beg of you to 
meet the event with fortitude, and do not unnecessarily repine at my loss. 
Kiss Adeline, Elizabeth, Matilda and our dear little Margaretta for me. 
Rensselaer I presume is before this at school in Middletown, Conn., where 
the Patroon will keep him. When you see Rensselaer give him a kiss for 
me, and tell him to be a good boy, and attend to his studies, but where is 
our dear little Van Vechten ? in Heaven I hope, where sooner or later I 
trust we all will join him. I have written to the Patroon and Abraham 
Van Vechten about you and the family, and likewise about my back pay, 
which I presume can be got for you. The Certificates of the Surgeons of 
Wayne's Army are to be found among my papers, and they will attend to 
them. I have much more to say to you, but time is pressing hard on 
me. I must again repeat how anxious and interested, I feel on your and 
our dear little ones, account. Give them an affectionate embrace for me, 
and think kindly of me as you ever did, for you possess my warmest affec- 
tions. Forget the past and believe me to be your affectionate and unalter- 
able friend and Husband. Adieu. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Harriot Van Rensselaer, Mount Hope, Albany. 

Upon reaching Ogdensburg, information having been obtained which 
induced a belief, that a descent was meditated upon that place, temporary 
breastworks of cordwood, &c., were hastily thrown up, and two old guns 
mounted to repel it. The belief was confirmed while the work was in 
progress, by the appearance of two vessels of war which sailed out of the 
lake and came to at the wharf opposite the village. It was supposed that 
such palpable indications of being greeted with a warm reception, were 
the reasons why the intention was abandoned. The sight of these vessels 
so near him was enough, however, to excite the resolute spirit of Colonel 
Van Rensselaer, and he forthwith projected a handsome enterprise (which 
failed through the want of a few regular troops), against an armed vessel 
of the enemy, which lay along side a wharf adjoining the British maga- 
zines at Prescott on the opposite shore. The tocsin of war still continues 
to ring. Colonel Van Rensselaer proposed, with one hundred and twenty 
men, to ascend the St. Lawrence four or five miles, after night, cross the 
river, down under the Canada shore, take possession of the buildings and 
carry the vessel, boarding her by land and water at the same time. Vol- 
unteers from the militia, turned tor the enterprise at evening roll call; but 
at midnight, they had changed their minds, and as they believed there 
existed no competent authority to order them beyond the limits of the 
state, this feasible project was abandoned. A similar occasion never again 
offered, as the next morning the two vessels sailed back to the lake. It 
was subsequently ascertained that there was no other force at the place 
to contend with, but the crews of the two vessels. 



Legacy of Historical GiEANiNas. 199 

Major General Van Rensselaer to Oovernor lompkins. 

Sir, Ogdensburgh, July 23d, 1812, 8 o'clock, p. m. 

On receiving informatioa that Sackett's Harbour was menaced by the 
enemy, I deemed it expedient that General Brown sliould repair there ; 
and accordingly he departed from this place early yesterday morning. 
One reason for my remaining a day or two longer at this post was, to 
await, and possibly improve the success which might attend a projected 
attack upon a ten-gun British schooner which has for several days been 
lying at the dock in Prescott, opposite to this place. The proposed attack 
was concerted by my aidde-camp. Col. Van Rensselaer, and Col. lienedict 
who commands at this post. Yesterday was spent in preparations. The 
boarding-boats were ready at 1 o'clock, last night, and the attack was to 
have been made by land and water, at 3 in the morning. But when every 
thing was prepared in such manner as to promise complete success, it 
was discovered with infinite chagrin and mortification, that only sixty-six 
men would volunteer for the service ! This number being by no means 
competent. Cols. Van Rensselaer and Benedict, who would certainly have 
led the men to action with the most cool and determined bravery, were 
compelled to abandon an enterprize honourable in itself, and upon the 
result of which might have depended the whole command of the Lake 
and river. 

This promising project having been blasted, and as nothing further of 
consequence appeared to demand my longer stay here, I was on the eve 
of my departure at five o'clock this afternoon, when a large armed ship 
was discovered coming down the river. She anchored close on shore, on 
the opposite side of the river, near to the schooner, and appears to be a 
fourteen-gun ship. Considerable solicitude prevails in this place. It is 
generally believed that the vessels in the harbour are the object of the 
enemy. The owners of the vessels are preparing to scuttle them, or re- 
move them as far out of the reach of the enemy as may be. The troops 
are busy constructing a fort of timber north of Parish's store, on the best 
ground for the purpose. But, sir, our very great misfortune is, that we 
have only two six pounders. If this harbour is to be protected, it is abso- 
lutely necessary that I should be immediately furnished with cannon of 
competent calibre, for the probably approaching emergency. I shall wait 
your answer by the return of the express, and govern myself accordingly. 

I have the honor, &c., 

His Excellency Gov. Tompkins. Stephen Van Rensselaer. 

Jolm Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

Dear Sir, Ogdensburgh, July 23, 1812. 

By throwing off" my flannel, and being a little too much in the rain, I 
caught a horrid cold which laid me up yesterday. And as we quit here 
this afternoon, I must soon close my wretched scrawl. We have here 
say four hundred troops, well armed, pretty well disciplined. Three Field 
pieces, a little amunition, no works. 

Last Saturday a ten Gun British Schooner came down from the narrows 
and anchored at Prescott opposite this place. We have been squintino-, 
and squinting again and again at her. Last evening it was determined 
by my friend Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer and Col. Benedict to attack 
her at three o'clock this morning, the night has been spent in activity ; ex- 
cellent Boats and all things were in readiness at 2 o'clock. The men 



200 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

were paraded, and out o^ four hundred, all clamorous for attack, just sixty- 
three men were willing to go ! Of course, at daylight, the expedition was 
abandoned. Never did I see a man more mortified and disappointed than 
is Col. Van Rensselaer. Never did any man see a soldier more eager for 
attack. I am now, more than ever before, satisfied of the awful stuiF for 
battle which he carries in his pluck. He was to have led the van, and I 
believe he would willingly have given a Quit Claim to all he possesses in 
the world, could he have but persuaded the men to go with him and stick 
by him. I may hereafter give you a number of amusing anecdotes of last 
night; yet as Thorn was present with us, and will soon be with you, I 
refer to him. One word. As I write you any how, you are never to 
publish anything I write : you know what I mean ; the facts I state you 
may publish as you please when deemed expedient, but now this single 
fact of the Men's refusing to volunteer, if published, would raise a bobbery. 

From Sacketts Harbor we learn that the British Squadron looked in 
there a day or two ago, gave and received a few long shots and retired. 
There are here eight or ten fine Schooners, which if armed, would give 
us command of the Lake and River. How came all this ? 

Although no blow is yet struck in these parts, it does appear to me 
impossible that the thing can continue so long. The command of the 
water is every thing ; the British now have it ; but I think there will 
yet, in some shape, be a struggle for it ; there must be, for our little force 
must be subdued or increased. 

What has become of our Salt water Fleet. 

Tell my good wife, [ have not another moment to write, that I am 
neither homesick, crop-sick, war sick, nor sick of my Wife. Tell her 
also that we are in point blank shot of Mr. Honeywood. When you are 
up all night, and the devil about among Boats and Militia, you will write 
nearly as bad as I do. 

With one foot in the stirrup and good pluck for Niagara. 

Good bye to you. 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. John Lovett. 

There were many hardships and deprivations to be encountered in the 
early part of this, as in every campaign. 

On one occasion Gen. Van Rensselaer accompanied by Colonel Solomon 
Van Rensselaer and Major Lovett were traveling on horseback on a tour 
of inspection " along the frontier from Sackett's Harbor to learn the con- 
dition of troops and the means of offensive or defensive operations along 
the lake and St. Lawrence. Sending our horses by land, we took two 
sailors, a sergeant and eight soldiers and started in an open boat, pre- 
pared to fight a little and run a good deal, and escape any lurking boats 
of the enemy. Until nearly night we had no wind ; then a breeze sprung 
up and increased to a gale, the night was cold. I had no outer garment 
but my flannel night gown, God bless my good wife, she made me 
bring it. We all were chilly, it was dark, the sea ran high and much to 
our vexation, were overtaken by a severe thunder storm. It was a wild 
and boisterous night, the rain came down in torrents and the lightning 
flashed in bright sheets of light from the heavy thunder clouds. Our 
pilot got bewildered, we run the lord knows where, but we struck on the 
rocks near the mouth of little Salmon river in Mexico bay, the guard 
hailed us, and gave us directions how to get off, we did soon get otf and 
were glad to seek shelter in a deserted house from which its frightened 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 201 

inmates had previously fled, leavins; only a table and wash bench. Boin"- 
destitute of everything necessary for their comfort, they were obliged to 
go supperless to bed. It was half past twelve and we sought needed re- 
pose. We placed our general on the table about four and one-half feet long, 
crooked up his legs, borrowed a thick blanket of a soldier and covered him 
up quite comfortably. The patience with which this man endures priva- 
tions as well as hardships, can only be known by those wbo certify the 
fact." But as to the rest. Col. Van Rensselaer got two boards and laid 
himself down in his great coat, while poor Major Lovett had choice of a 
filthy floor or the large Dutch oven. He selected the latter as the more 
desirable couch and " the thought struck me it would be my safest retreat 
from the vermin. But how under heaven to get in I knew not. I got a 
wide board, placed an end in the mouth of the monstrous oven, laid ray- 
self on the board, then bade the sergeant of the guard raise up the other 
end and push me into the oven, in I went, like a pig on a wooden shovel 
yes, and there I staid and had one of the loveliest night's rest of my life." 
Making the best of present circumstances, the jocular major, durin"' the 
night, hearing from their conversation, that his friends were sadly tor- 
mented with bats and vermin ; boasted, much to the annoyance of the 
others, of his nice, snug chamber; and early in the morning greeted 
them with the vociferous information, that he never slept more comforta- 
bly, " such a lovely night's rest." His dubious, but amused comrades 
allowed the gallant and contented major to rest long without any disturb- 
ance, in his so styled pleasant quarters, till at last, endurance was unsup- 
portable, and he was very glad to beg them to draw him out. '' I am still 
glad I came, tho' I have seen some pretty tough times, we all are about 
six and one-half hours on our horses amongst the most infernal set of fleas 
that ever graced a man's ears. I find the war is considered, in this part 
of the country unpopular and indeed intolerable." 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 
My Dear Sir, Ogdensburgh, July 29, 1812. 

I have long considered it a given point that those who do nothing are 
always too mucli engaged to do anything else. Now this is very nearly 
my own condition : although we effect nothing, we are all the while busy. 
Here must be a redoubt thrown up; some Tents pitched yonder; this 
Schooner hauled this way, and that, that way. And the cursed Flags of 
Truce bother our souls out. Scarcely a day passes, but some scamp gets a 
canoe, sticks up a pole, and such part of his shirt as he can best spare, after 
having washed it so long that he can venture his soul and body on the 
chance of proving it ivhite, and thus rigged away he comes to our shore 
after some raft, or boat, or canoe, or in plain truth, to reconnoitre us. 
But our General has about put an end to all this stufi". Thus and thus 
passes our time : stop, though, there is one good job going on : An old 
Naval who has be^n somewhere here about on the Grampian Hills ever 
since the year 1758, told our Soldiers where lay an 8 Gun Vessel sunk. 
At it the poor devils went ; several days ago they drew up one good large 
4 pounder, last night they grabbed another, we have strained it with 3 
heavy charges and it stands; this day the Boys say they shall have up 
two more : Thus, Sir, while the General and State Governments are so 
infamously neglecting to supply this place with Ordnance, our boys are 
hoisting old French Pieces from the bottom of the bay. Now, Sir, I will 
26 



202 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

relate to you a little expedition which, God knows, was hazardous enough. 
At Hamilton Village, twenty miles below this, we have a few troops, and 
the British are throwing up some works. Our General had an inclination 
to visit that place. He ordered our Horses down by land and the General, 
the great Mr. Parish, a Mr. Rainheart, Col. Van Rensselaer and myself, 
made up the Passengers. Three Boatmen conducted us. Our boat was 
so small, that several gentlemen were alarmed when we started and at- 
tempted to have us called back, but without success. We went on very well 
eight miles ; then appeared a Rapid which, to me, looked poA:er<'s7i enough. 
but I am not timid on water, the boatmen run into the very worst place, 
the boat plunged bows under. Col. Van Rensselaer was with me in the 
bow, and the old soldier, who fears nothing on land, admits he was horridly 
scared on water. Our boatmen turned pale, and gave up, the boat wal- 
loping in the breakers ; we shipped such quantities of water that the 
General and Mr. Raiuheart got their breeohes full. Mr. Parish his coat- 
pockets full. Col. V. R. and myself oar boots full. My pistols were afloat. 
People saw us from the shore and gave us up, for without another boat, 
salvation was very distant. But we all kept steady, and that saved all : 
we got our boat ashore, baled out, and tried it again. I am not very fond 
of relating hair-breadth escapes, but I am to tell you the truth ; and you 
may be assured this is just such a scrape as we do7i't mean to attempt 
again. We returned here last evening. I do not recollect where my war 
narrative left off. We have been all mortified, almost to death, by the 
failure of the expedition against the Schooner. Had she fallen, the Earl 
Maria which came down the next day, must have inevitably followed the 
example, and this bobbing, as it may look to you, would have led to the 
command of the waters, and the want of that command will distress us 
incalculably. We sent up to Woolsey to concert a plan for attacking both ; 
and last night the concert began to be matured ; and now, to renew our 
vexation, while I am writing, both the Ship and the Schooner are under 
way, with a very feeble breeze, going up the River. As far as I can 
learn their object here has been to wait for arms and stores from Montreal. 

2 Brigades of Canada Boats, that is 24 of them have been several days 
below this coming up, each boat manned a small Piece, but we had 
pretty much determined to attack them, but the citizens discouraged the 
idea for fear of a retaliating Bombardment, as we have no guns for the 
Ship and Schooner; and now they will be up the River again. As long 
as John Bidl travels by water and the rest of the world by Land, he will 
tucker all out. 

I have seen letters from Sackett's Harbor, giving a dreadful account of 
the attack there, all froth ; barely a few long shots. If any man wants to 
see folly triumphant, let him come here, let him view friends by friends 
stretched for hundreds of miles on these two shores, all loving and be- 
loved ; all desirous of harmony ; all wounded by being coerced, by a hand 
unseen, to cut throats. The People must waken, they will wake from 
such destructive lethargy and stupor. 

The Troops here are very steady, respectful, obedient, healthy. It is 
certainly a great compliment to the morality of the Country, that here on 
the lines, among a collection of every thing, there is no noise, disturbance, 
bad language nor uproar. 

Soldiers without pay or Blankets as dutiful as children. What might 
not the good spirit of this great People effect, if properly directed. His- 
tory while recording our folly, will dress her pages in mourning, the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 203 

showers of Posterity's tears will fall in vain ; for the sponge of time caa 
never wipe this blot from the American Name. We are all getting thin 
as shad, and brown as Indians ; well we may, for, we are seldom in bed 
more than five out of twenty-four hours, but we are hearty and treated 
with the highest respect. Thursday Morning, 30th July. I intended to 
have written more, but last night our Express returned from Albany, 
without any answer, and as we have done all that can be done here with- 
out Ordnance, we must leave the place to its fate, and take up our line of 
inarch to day for Sackett's Harbor, Oswego and Niagara, where you may 
again hear from me, and let me hear from you, particularly as to the 
symptoms of awakening among the People. May Almighty God rouse 
them, for this War is the Ominous Gathering of folly and madness, and 
so every one must know who comes in eight of it. 

Tell Sam. McElroy, I saw the old gentleman yesterday well. Comfort 
my Wife. Cheer all the Brethren and tell Gilbert Stewart I attend church 
twice a day. 

You have seen General Hull's Proclamation, Matter and manner all 
speak our language. I am not timid, but my friend, my faith begins to 
quiver. The People must rouse quickly, or we shall inevitably be crushed. 

Yours very truly, j y 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. ^- -^ovett. 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

My dear Friend, Oswego 5th August, 1812. 

It was my intention to have written you a long letter before I left this; 
and when I tell you the plain, honest truth why I have not, I really think 
you will smile and call it Military Pedantry. I was on parade, by the 
side of my General, from 3 in the afternoon until dark, and have but this 
moment (9 at night) concluded the Division Orders to Col. Flemming 
who commands at this Post. There are here, 525 as fine Militia as you 
could wish to see, under the command of an old Revolutionary Veteran 
who was in every general action during the last war. The whole service 
is to him, as familiar as housekeeping. 

Fort Oswego is really deservedly the admiration of every one. The 
works, which were once of the very first character, have gone greatly to 
decay ; but like the great commanding traits of a handsome woman, they 
still charm the beholder, at the same time exciting admiration softened 
with tender sensations of regret, that any thing once so perfect should 
have faded with years. 

The site of this fort is on a promontory on the east side of Oswego 
River ; to the North and west the eye cannot command the sight of 
land. Here the Sun sets in majesty; bidding adieu to earth, he sinks 
as it were, in the western main. Without visiting these regions no living 
mortal can conceive the majesty with which nature has here painted; 
every stroke speaks the mighty, the mighty hand of Jehovah. 

" Here Nature strikes her strangest, boldest lines, 
And paints broad scenes unknown in eastern climes." 

J. LOVETT. 

On reaching the Niagara frontier towards the middle of August, Gen- 
eral Van Rensselaer found his troops scattered along the whole line of the 
river, and exposed to be cut up in detail. Having inspected his ground, 
his resolution was promptly taken to concentrate his forces at Lewiston, 



204 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

leaving the necessary guards of observation at different points. Orders 
to that effect were immediately given'. His camp was formed, and the 
duties of discipline and instruction were entered upon without delay. 
From the moment of his assuming the command, his position was one of 
the utmost exposure and danger. He lay within sight of a powerful en- 
emy, separated from him only by a narrow river, for the crossing of which, 
that enemy possessed every facility. He had a line of thirty-six miles to 
guard and his whole force was considerably less than one thousand men, 
on the first day of September, he had only 691 men fit for duty, many of 
them without shoes, and all of them clamorous for pay. Of ammunition, 
there were not ten rounds per man, and no lead. There was not one piece 
of heavy ordnance in the whole line, and there were no artillerists to man 
the few light pieces which we possessed. Add to this, that the troops 
could not take or keep the field, for the want of tents and covering; that the 
medical department, if one could be said to exist at all, was utterly desti- 
tute of everything neccessary for the comfort of the sick or the disabled ; 
and that there was among the men that entire want of subordination, to 
say nothing of discipline, which always characterizes raw militia; and some 
idea may be formed of the condition of our army. 

The condition of the forces on the opposite bank of the river, was in 
contrast with ours in every particular. There was a well appointed, and 
well found army, under the most exact discipline, and commanded by 
skillful and experienced officers. Every important post, from Fort Erie 
to Fort George, was in a defensible state, and the enemy had possessed 
himself of a very commanding position on the heights of Queenstown, 
which he was rendering every day more secure and formidable. He had, 
moreover, the mastery of the lakes, and was at that moment industriously 
employed in using that advantage to increase his numbers, and add to his 
supplies at Niagara. Expresses had been sent by Gen. Van Rensselaer 
to Albany, to represent this state of things, and to urge on the necessary 
supplies, which in time arrived at Sackett's Harbor, the nearest depot on 
the lake : but as the rendezvous of the army was now established between 
the two lakes, on the Niagara river, owing to the impossibilities of trans- 
porting those indispensable articles by land, it became necessary to resort 
to diplomacy, in order to secure their safe passage through the waters 
under the control of the enemy. Fortunately an opportunity of a trial of 
this act soon occurred. An armistice was in course of negotiation. Major 
General Dearborn wrote that, " Our government had received despatches 
from England of a conciliatory nature ; to the proposition on the part of 
Sir George Provost, for a mutual cessation of hostilities on the frontiers, 
he would comply so far, as to agree to direct the respective commanding 
officers, to confine their operations to defensive measures for the present." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Governor Tom^'ikins. 
Sir, Buffalo, August 11th, 1812. 

I have to advise your Excellency that I arrived here last evening, and 
various considerations induced me to adopt measures for obtaining the 
most satisfactory information respecting the situation of General Hull. 
Accordingly, I this morning sent my aid-de-camp to Black Bock, having 
head that Judge Porter, brother of the Quarter Master General, had lately 
returned from Detroit. Col. Van Bensselaer has returned, having had a 
Conference with the Quarter Master General, and Judge Porter. The 
amount of information obtained is substantially this. That Judge Porter 



Legacy of Historical G-leanings. 205 

left Detroit, on the 29th ult., General Hull was entrenching himself op- 
posite to Detroit; Fort Maiden was not taken as has been reported ; Gen- 
eral Hull's force was eight hundred. At Brown's Town, below Detroit, 
are fifteen hundred hostile Indians. Quarter Master General Porter has 
lately sent several boats with provisions for General Hull ; but unfortu- 
nately, one boat has been taken by the enemy, and unfavourable appre- 
hensions are entertained for the other boats. It is here generally believed, 
that detachments of troops have been sent from Fort George, to relieve 
Fort Maiden ; the number remaining behind, I have not been able to 
ascertain, but shall endeavour to make this an object of early inquiry. It 
is said that the enemy abound on the opposite shore, with ordnance, and 
every munition of war. We are, here, as indeed at all of our posts, la- 
mentably deficient in ordnance. The situation of Ogdensburgh, and the 
necessity of supplying it with heavy ordnance, I have before stated to 
your Excellency in my letter by express from that place. Every con- 
sideration connected with the success of any operations in this quarter, 
urges me to solicit the earliest possible supply of heavy ordnance, and 
some skillful engineers, and artillerists. Without such aid and supplies, 
I can hardly conceive how it will be possible for us to achieve anything 
of importance, or even defend our posts in case of attacks from the enemy. 
I shall, tomorrow, proceed on to Black Eock and Lewistou, and make 
further communications of every irfcident of moment. 

I have spent a part of this day with Red Jacket, Corn Planter, and a 
number of other Indians of infiuence. They very kindly consider me as 
the messenger of peace and friendship, specially delegated by your excel- 
lency. Their professions are unreservedly friendly, and I believe sincere. 
I have this day received a letter from Major General Dearborn, in which 
he speaks of Fort Maiden as being taken : I have given him such inform- 
ation on the subject as I have here obtained. I have the honour &c 

To His Excellency Governor Tompkins. 

Cornplanter, the venerable Seneca chief, did all in his power to keep 
his race neutral. At the request of the United State government, he in- 
duced their influential chiefs, to visit the Indians on the Grand river, 
talk with them about remaining neutral and bring back an answer. The 
authorities of the United States used every efi'ort in their power to keep 
the Indians from the contest on both sides, knowing their cruel mode of 
warfare, and resolved not to employ the savages in the war unless com- 
pelled to. 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

My dear Friend, Niagara Falls, August 14, 1812. 

I hope I may never cease to praise God for his bountiful gift of that 
strange kind o? someth.mg which he was pleased, in mercy, to put into my 
composition which still continues to sustain me in cheerful activity when 
real stout men are willing to sit down and rest. At eight this morning I 
mounted my horse, and I have been on Ms back or my legs until this 
minute (nine at night) except at dinner. My General also, you may 
depend is no common man to endure fatigue, and my good friend the 
Colonel, I have left at Lewiston, seven miles off. Gen. Hull and Howe 
Cuyler, I have this moment parted from, and they say they are much 
fatigued. Now here I sit alone, in a little hut twelve by fifteen feet, on 
the top of the falls, so near that I can spit in; half deafened by that 
thorough-bass groan which nature in some awfully convulsive moment 



206 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

struck ; which she has continued for ages and ages ; and which will pro- 
bably continue until that dreadful moment when she will swell it a note 
louder and expire. Here I have slept, in state with our baggage, on the 
floor for two nights ; and this makes the third and last. I say in state, 
because I have a sentinel the outside my door, and a Cask of Wine the 
inside ; but I can have no intercourse with either; for etiquette forbids 
the former, and the want of a gimlet the latter * * * I now and then 
get a peep at your Papers, and the most abominable lies which are thrown 
out are producing such mischief, that I willingly rob myself of sleep to 
give you the truth, for what I write you may depend on as fact. I wrote 
to Van Vechten by the last mail the situation of General Hull, I am in- 
clined to think he is not in a very eligible situation. General Dearborn 
believes Fort Maiden is taken, he writes so, but it is not true. Now in 
justification of the movements of our General, who God knows would 
serve his Country if he could (I made a little sketch of the country &c. 
where and how Hull is situated, in my letter to Van Vechten, read that 
and you will see what condition we are in), but how is that possible in 
our present condition. We have eleven cannon for all our extensive 
lines, no works of any consequence, except old Fort Niagara, and that, 
though once a master piece, is all going to decay. From Buffalo to 
Niagara both inclusive we have not 1000 Militia. Capt. Leonard, of the 
Garrison at Niagara told me this afternoon, that our Regulars are 360 and 
no more ! Wait another sentence, although Gen. Van Rensselaer is inces- 
santly pressing the Commander-in-Chief with the indispensable necessity 
of a competent supply of heavy ordnance ; for Engineers ; Artillerists ; still 
a noble company of 106 Artillerists, at Niagara, are in two or three days 
to take up their line of march for Albany ! This, Capt. Leonard told me 
this day. After all that you have heard, you will not, you cannot believe 
me, but hear me, and wait until the next mail when we shall send the 
Commander-in-Chief our Inspection Returns of all the Posts. Now as to 
the enemy : Although they have sent off large detachments, General 
Wadsworth, who commands at Lewiston told me to day, 1000 from 
Niagara to reinforce Fort Maiden, yet they appear to be awake all along 
the lines, yet exceeding civil, and still with ordnance, of every description, 
and all themunitions of war they abound. 

Every three or four miles, on every prominent point or eminence, 
there you see a snug Battery thrown up, and " the last" saucy arguments 
o/ Kings poking their white noses, and round black nostrils right up in 
your face, ready to spit fire, ball and brimstone in your very teeth if you 
even offer to turn Squatter on John Bull's land. Niagara, on the British 
side, or as it is called sometimes. New Ark ; I mean at Lake Ontario, looks 
wicked every where. It is a charming, fertile, broad village, but all a 
camp, fortified at every point. Capt. Leonard was this afternoon, in my 
presence, asked seriously, for his professional answer, as an able, gallant, 
and experienced ofiicer, What number of Troops would be competent to 
promise success in an attack upon Fort George, that is, their main work ? 
I heard the answer " not less than 2,000 well disciplined Troops. 
Those who know Leonard will believe, for they must respect his opinion. 
No sooner did we approach with our cavalcade, than away ran expresses, 
on the opposite shore at full speed. Here, again I saw our old friend, 
the Earl of Maria. While we were reconnoitering the works, the Prince 
Regent up sails and stood off North. Now let the reasonable part of the 
world judge why Gen. Van Rensselaer cannot act. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 207 

To-morrow I take our Baggap;e to Lewiston, where we shall establish 
Head Quarters. Thank my Wife for her Political Epistle. I consider 
you the organ of communication to all my friends. Thank my Wife for 
the Flannel Night Gown, in which I roll myself this moment and tumble 
on the floor to rest. Yours ever truly. 

Mr, Joseph Alexander, Albany. J. Lovett. 

Journal of the Campaign continued. 

Sunday, August 16, 1812. Head Quarters Lewiston. 

The oftener I get a peep at your Papers, the more I feel it my duty to 
give you the correct history of every occurence which can possibly be 
tortured into a lie ; but as I must of necessity write in great haste, steal- 
ing, as it were the time; writing on my knee, my hat, or any how, you 
will of course excuse 10,000 blunders ; but Facts you may depend on. 
My last to you I closed late at night on the 14th at the Falls. Yesterday 
morning I brought our Baggage down here. And now for a little scratch- 
ing sport, which I relate principally for the purpose of enabling you to 
meet the lye should any fool, or scoundrel manufacture one, out of what 
little did actually take place. You know the banks of this outlet con- 
tinue of a uniform height from the falls down to within a mile and a half 
of this place, on the high bluflfs on each side the river are guards, I had 
but just arrived yesterday when a firing of Musketry commenced on both 
sides the river at this place. 

My General says, I was the first man on my horse and that as I started 
he called to me three or four times to come back, and the reason he very 
handsomely assigned was, that he expected I was going to run away, and 
that he should never see me again. However, Gen. Wadsworth and Col. 
Van Rensselaer were on their horses and started with me. We run our 
horses up such horrid rocky precipices as I never saw men ride before. 
The firing increased, and the moment we darted out of the bushes on to 
the open land, a soldier catching his breath ran up to me and sung out. 
" General, do ride down into that hollow, for the bails fly dreadfully 
here!" It was partly true; they did fly a little: but I did not observe 
only two that went near enough to make me grin. Col. V. R., says he 
heard 6 or 8, about near enough. We pursued on a little, further and 
halted on our horses, inquiring of another soldier what began the skir- 
mish, while he was relating his story, there came a ball pretty near us, 
and had I been shot through, I could not have helped laughing to see 
the poor devil run behind a large black oak tree ; draw his arms close to 
his body, catch his breath and grin ! You may depend on it there is 
something perfectly indescribable in the face of a clown who expects at 
every breath a ball through his back. 

Gen. Wadsworth was extremely cautious to keep his breast towards the 
balls, saying he " had no notion that a Wadsavorth should he shot through 
the back !" However, after six or eight minutes the firing ceased on both 
sides, the guards were small and I do not believe there were more than 
100 muskets discharged on botli sides, but those were 4 to one by the 
enemy. So we galloped all back again by another route amidst the 
plaudits of our clever fellows, and no one more gratified with the little 
prompt zeal shown, than our Commander. Now this exactly nothiiirjr may, 
by some fool be conjured up as to another Sackett's Harbor Battle. In 
the afternoon over came a Flag from Lieut, Col. Myers of the 70 Regt. 
Commanding Fort George with a letter demanding the reason why his 



208 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

guards had been fired on. And I have just had the honor of answering 
his letter, to say that 2 men appeared near the American shore under 
suspicious circumstances, they hailed the opposite shore, and soon a Boat 
appeared, presumed to be for the object of transporting the two men over ; 
and she was therefore fired upon and the fire returned. Col. Van Rensse- 
laer decorated with all the pomp of war, as the best sample we could give 
Canada, has just been over with the letter and returned, that's all. Now 
one civil question, and your answer to it if you please. Did you ever 
expect to see me encamped on the Field of Mars, in my own Horseman's 
Tent, with my board slaw-bunk, 2 blankets, 1 trunk, a brace of Pistols, my 
valise stufied with hay for a pillow, a large tin box at my feet and 12 
round of cartridges for my pistols ? Just so is the fact. Col. V. R., is 
on my right and tbe 2 black boys directly in our rear, and to-morrow we 
rear the general's Marquee in tbe centre. I am hearty, eat my allowance, 
do my duty, am first up, and last in bed. I am happy and respect myself, 
but the Lord only knows what will become of home. I have not received 
a cent from any quarter. Tbe General is now going to concentrate all 
our forces at this place, and order in more. We must soon hear from 
Hull and Albany, and aff"airs will by and by assume some further cha- 
racter. Everything is so uncertain that I can say but little. One thing 
I can with great truth say ; nothing but Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer's 
having the command of this campaign could have saved the service from 
confusion ; the State from disgrace, and the cause from perdition ; and 
nothino- could have been more fortunate for the General than the man he 
has at his elbow, for Solomon in fart and truth does know everything 
which appertains to the economy of a camp — Stop : — Away we must all 
march, at beat of drum, and hear an old Irish clergyman preach to us, 
Amen. I have become a perfect machine ; go just where I'm ordered. 

9, at night. Huzza ! Huzza ! and tantivy ! we have been all day making 
out and dispatching orders to Oswego for a Rifle Battalion ; Cayuga for a 
Troop of Horse ; to Ontario for Bloom's Regiment &c. and now, since dark, 
comes a memorandum from Capt. Dox, at Albany, of the road full of Troops, 
Flyino- Artillery, Infantry &c. and all the Uniformed Companies in the 
State ! ! ! An express from the Governor General of Canada to Gen. Dear- 
born proposing an Armistice ! ! ! ! Very well : I've got my Tent, and no 
one but a better fellow than myself shall oust me. I have, also, just got 
lib. of Candles ; stuck up one of them in a little 3 cornered kind of a pig- 
yoke and begin to feel proud. The old Preacher to day gave us the whole 
history of David's battle with Goliath, under what zeal he pushed across 
the river to Goliath, and told us we should bring bis marrow-bones to the 
ground if we only had faith. We believe he was right, but at the same 
time we should like some ordnance heavier than 6 Pounders, otherwise 
we shall hardly be able to knock off Goliath's armor. Monday Aug. 17th, 
3 P.M. Mr. Dickson, a gentleman of respectability from Queenstown, op- 
posite this, is this moment over with a Flag of Truce. We asked him the 
News on the Canada shore ? He says, that all the Re-inforcements going 
from Ohio to General Hull are cut off and destroyed by the Indians frum 
Browns Town. Since writing the above, Peter B. Porter tells me that 
from information he before possessed, he has no doubt of the fact stated 
by Mr. Dickson. You have seen me tart, seen me sweet, so I am now. 
Not a moment has Col. Van Rensselaer or myself been off our legs since 
5 o'clock this morning. Our Troops are all in motion concentrating, there 
is everything to do. 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 209 

See that my Wife and children do not droop. It was right for me to 
come, and I cannot think of returning until something comes out of this 
scrape. Let Van Vechten and Westerlo know how and where we are. 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. J. Lovktt. 

On the night of the 17th about midnight, I heard a whoop " Officer of the 
Guard ! Officer of the Guard!" Out I ran : for to tell the candid truth I 
have about done with sleep. Reveille, Tattoo, " who comes there V " A 
friend." " Friend advance and give the countersign," and the d — 1 knows 
what all, has broke up all the little regularity I ever had. I am a perfect 
piece of machinery. I feel no more like John Lovett than I do like Gat. 
Van Wie. Well, this was an express with letters from Gen. Dearborn in- 
closing a sort of three legged armistice between some sort of an Adjutant 
General in behalf of the governor general of Canada and the said Gen. 
Dearborn. Also letters to Lt. Col. Myers commanding at Fort George. 
In the morning we sent down to Niagara, seven miles, sent a flag across 
with the letters &c. There is nothing but flag after flag, letter after 
letter. Gen. Brock gone, somewhere. Lt. Col. Myers not at the Fort 
now, and Major Gen. Sheaff'e, formerly of Boston (brother of Nancy 
Sheafi"e, tell my wife) is now commanding at Fort George. Our General 
often has to act when responsibility is very high, we can rely on no 
council but our little family : in what shape these acts may come up 
another day, I know not : for this reason, if I live, I am determined that 
the whys and wherefores of all these acts shall remain on record. This is 
work, try it who will. From four in the morning until nine or ten at 
night, no man is still. I do not believe there ever was a militia camp 
better regulated. 

Those who only know Solomon Van Rensselaer in civil life, know but 
very little about him. He is all formed for war; the whole economy of 
Camp is to him familiar as Pot-boiling. The weather is unfavorable, 
alternate rains and sun excessively hot. We have to pay great a.ttention 
to the health of the men. The duty of our Troops is really severe — about 
160 mount guard constantly, but no grumbling. The General is indefati- 
gable with them all the while among the men and is growing every day 
more and more the favorite of the whole Camp. Five minutes ago we 
returned through the lines, a man had fallen in a fit : the General looked 
and felt of him called one of his Mess to go directly with him to his Mar- 
quee, and by him sent the poor soul a tumbler of Wine. Encamping in 
the midst of the soldiers, and being every hour in their view pleases all. 
All the boats which Porter has sent to Gen. Hull are undoubtedly cut ofi". 
I do not see how Hull can get out but he may, I hope so. Freemen, and 
brave soldiers are sacrifices too precious to be ofi'ered on the altar to atone 
for folly and rashness. Great God ? is there no redeeming angel who 
can rouse the People before it is too late. Must all that our Fathers pur- 
chased with their heart's blood, and bequeathed with their dying breath, 
go for nothing but the very smell of garlick soup which is pouring on our 
heads to scald us to death. I care not a rush for my own little inconveni- 
ences, they are not worth mentioning. But for a voice of thunder to 
rouse my sleeping Countrymen. Tell my Wife I love her like a true soldier. 

Truly your friend, J. Lovett. 

An armistice had been concluded between Gen. Dearborn and the 
governor general of Canada, and Gen. Van Rensselaer saw it became ne- 

27 



210 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

cessary to settle with the commander of the British forces opposite to them, 
terms of an arrangement for the government of the armies on the Niagara, 
during the continuance of the armistice. The performance of this duty 
was assigned to Col. Van Rensselaer; and at his suggestion he received 
the authority of Gen. Van Rensselaer to secure if possible the waters of 
Lake Ontario as a common highway for the purpose of transportation. 
" The following clause, proposed and insisted on, on the part of the British 
general, will serve to show how wide of each other were our respective 
views and interests. ' It is moreover to be distinctly understood, that 
there is not any thing in the foregoing articles, to be construed into 
granting facilities for the forwarding of troops, stores, &c., which did not 
exist before the declaration of the armistice, farther than they are to pass 
unmolested as therein provided, in the mode and by the routes assigned 
to them prior to the cessation of hostilities.' My interview with Gen. 
Sheaffe, on this mission, was one full of interest. As was anticipated, 
the terms proposed by me were met not only with objections, but at first 
by an unequivocal refusal to accede to them." The result of a protracted 
discussion, however, was an agreement which confined the restrictions to 
the movements of troops, stores, &c., to the country above Fort Erie, and 
left such movements elsewhere, entirely unshackled and free. Before 
leaving the tent of General Van Rensselaer, my father observed that, 
" Our situation is critical and embarrassing, something must be done, we 
must have the cannon and military stores from Oswego, I shall make a 
powerful effort to procure the use of the waters, and shall take such ground 
as will make it impossible for me to recede. If I do not succeed, then 
Lovett must cross over and carry Gen. Dearborn's order into efi"ect." 
General Van Rensselaer gave his cordial consent ; but Major Lovett said, 
*' Van, you may as well give that up, you will not succeed." His answer 
was, " If I do not, it will not be my fault." The colonel in his full 
military dress, mounted his charger, for the British head quarters, and 
with the flag of truce crossed the river. He was of course courteously 
received. He met Gen. Sheafie : Col. Myers and Major Evans of the 
British army were present at the interview. 

To the proposition, that no troops should move from that district to 
join Gen. Brock, Gen. Sheaff'e readily agreed ; but when my father pro- 
posed to him, the use of the navigable waters as a public highway in 
common with themselves, as was expected, he replied, " It was inadmissi- 
ble." Col. Van Rensselaer insisted upon his terms which were unequivo- 
cally refused. He then said to Gen. 8heafi"e, " There can be no armistice, 
our negotiation is at an end. General Van Rensselaer will take the re- 
sponsibility on himself to prevent your detaching troops from this district." 
The officers all rose upon their feet. General Sheaffe clapped his hand 
upon the hilt of his sword, and in an hostile attitude said, " Sir^you take 
high ground ! " The colonel rose upon his feet, and put himself in a like 
position and replied, " I do sir, and will maintain it." Then addressing 
himself decidedly to General Sheaffe, " You dare not detach the troops ! " 
Not another word was uttered. After walking the room for a few mo- 
ments the general said, " Be seated, and excuse me." He then with his 
two aids withdrew to an adjoining room. Shortly after he returned and said, 
" Sir, from amicable considerations, I grant you the use of the waters." 
Here the interview closed, perhaps, in polite enmity ! Thus, by the decided 
tone and judicious management of Col. V. R., the only passage to all the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 211 

wants of the army was opened contrary to the expectations of even the 
commander in chief. 

Major Samuel S. Forman of Syracuse and Jacob Ten Eyck of Cazenovia 
were in the camp at Lewiston, when the express arrived from Gen. Dear- 
born, with the intelligence that an armistice had been agreed on between 
him and Sir George Provost ; it caused quite an excitement. 

Major Forman wrote : " I happened to be on a visit among our people. 
I saw your gallant father, the finest looking officer I ever beheld, mount 
his Bucephalus ; then he was in the prime of life, in full court co.stume, 
and indeed, he made a most martial appearance as he went over to the 
British side. We all watched for his return with the greatest anxiety ; 
and when at length he came, full speed on his way to head quarters, I 
met him. 

" lie courteously made short halt. I hailed him with, ' Well colonel, 
what success '/ ' His reply was, laying his hand on his breast, with a 
happy, animated expression, ' To my heart's content, come to head quarters, 
and I will tell you all about it.' Your father then dispatched messengers 
to Sackett's Harbor. The necessary cannon and war implements were 
put on boai'd of bateaux, and sent on the lake and landed safely at the four 
mile creek from Fort Niagara, thence to the camp ground without the 
knowledge of the enemy. What a saving of time and expense to the 
United States by this wise and judicious management is incalculable, they 
could have laid waste miles of our country and returned in safety to their 
own dominion ! ! ! This most extraordinary manoeuvre and its consequent, 
effected by the young dragoon (the result of stern discipline and firmness 
acquired on " the dark and bloody ground"), was not intended by his 
political enemies to be known, and has scarcely ever, even at this late 
day, now sixty-two years, had more than cursory notice, yet his services 
were of a peculiarly marked character. 

Col. Van Bensselaer to Ms Wife. 
My Dear Harriot, Lewiston, Niagara, Aug. 21, 1812. 

What under the Heavens is the reason you do not write to me, I have 
written from almost every place 1 have been at, without receiving a line 
from you. The only person I have had a letter from is Robert which 
was dated at Utica, but which gratified me much a§ I heard from you, and 
that Rensselaer was safe with Rev. Mr. Huntingdon. Major Forman and 
Jacob Ten Eyck reached this to-day, the latter informed me he had seen 
you about a fortnight since and that you are all well ; it is unnecessary 
for me to say how happy it made me. I had only one moment to speak 
to him but I shall see him when I have finished this which goes by the 
mail this evening. When they reached Camp I was mounted on my 
horse to go over to the British side to conclude an Armistice in which I 
have been engaged for three days in conformity to an arangement made 
at Albany between Gen. Dearborn and the British Adjutant General. I 
have succeded to the astonishment and admiration of all ; and until we 
hear from below we are at peace with our neighbors. In my intercourse 
with the British Officers on the subject of the armistice and from other 
sources, we have been informed, and I have no doubt of the correctness 
of the information, of an action fought between Gen. Hull and the British 
at Detroit, in which our Troops suft'ered severely. From all we can learn 
he has either been taken, or compelled to re-cross the river ; but in my 
negotiations with Major Gen. Sheafi'e, Colonel Myers and Major Evans, I 



212 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

kept up such a hold front that although General Dearborn's Instructions 
■were confined to their not sending re-inforcenients to act against Hull, 
I succeeded in getting the use of the waters of the Rivers and Lakes. 
This to the Army and the Merchants is of incalculable value for future 
operations; and this was effected by a proper disposition of our small 
forces, and holding out to them moderate but strong language. The 
Troops before we came here, were scattered along the frontiers, we have 
concentrated them and are now getting in fine order. They did nothing 
before, they are pleased in the change, but in making that change I assure 
you I have my hands full ; we have now eleven Hundred only above 
Oswego, instead of Tompkin's five thousand ; but 1500 more are on the 
march. I am everything to all, and as for my General, he is much 
pleased with me. The Patroon and Lovett are well. We all live in our 
tents, are up at the firing of the morning gun at day break. It is getting 
too dark to add more, take good care of yourself. Kiss the children for 
ine. God bless you my dear Harriot. Your affectionate Husband, 

Sol. Van E.ensselaer. 
Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Mount Hope. 

[" General Brock crossed the Detroit river on the 9th of August, with 
white and Indian troops, and demanded the surrender of Detroit and 
Hull's army, at the same time intimating that, in the event of a refusal, 
the savages would have free rein in the exercise of their bloody method 
of warfare. Hull was cautious and humane. An intercepted letter as- 
sured him that a large force of Indians might be expected from Mackinaw. 
This letter was written at Maiden, as if from a British agent, and so con- 
veyed as to fall into the hands of Hull, who was completely deceived by 
it. Doubtful of his ability to sustain a siege with his limited supplies, 
and desirous of saving the people in the fort, Hull surrendered, August 
16, 1812, the town, garrison, stores, and the Michigan territory, into the 
hands of the British."] 

In a letter written by Colonel Van Rensselaer to General Wilkinson in 
reference to the difiiculties of their situation, he tells of the negotiations 
with General Sheaffe. In Gen. Dearborn's instructions was " that no troops 
should move from the British Niagara district to aid against General 
Hull, they surrendered to me this important point, &c. &c. This armis- 
tice is most important and highly favorable to us; and is as much es- 
teemed as we could desire as securing advantages to our state and the 
country at large, and our posterity will reap the benefit of our judicious 
management in this effort." The importance of this arrangement has 
never been suflieiently appreciated. The immediate and pressing neces- 
sity for this step on our part, was, that without it, the ordnance and 
supplies intended for our army, having been collected at Oswego, were 
not likely ever to reach us ; the roads were impassible, especially for 
heavy cannon, and the highway of the lake was beset by a triumphant 
enemy. As soon as the negotiation was successfully completed, an ex- 
press was despatched to Col. Fenwick at Oswego, to move on with his 
supplies with all possible expedition. But General Van Rensselaer was 
enabled to use this advantage for another purpose, of great importance to 
the service. No sooner was the way open, than an express was sent to 
Ogdensburgh with an order for the removal of nine vessels from that place 
to Sackett's Harbor. To this movement was Commodore Chauncy in 
debted for the ascendancy which he for a time was enabled to maintain on- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 213 

the lakQ, and without which the subsequent descent at Little York could 
not have been attempted. 

Major Oeneral Van Rensselaer to Major General Dearborn. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, August 21, 1812. 

Inclosed I transmit you a copy of an agreement, this day entered into 
between Major General Sheaflfe, commanding Fort George and Dependen- 
cies, (fee, &c., and myself", for the government of the forces on each side 
the line. You will readily perceive, that terms more favourable than those 
expected in your letter, have been obtained. The agreement speaks for 
itself. The relief of General Hull was a primary object. General Porter 
has just arrived here : I have communicated my ideas of the fair construc- 
tion of the Agreement and he will act immediately for relieving General 
Hull. 

I have the Honor to be Sir, with great Consideration, &c.. 

Major General Dearborn. S. Van Rensselaer. 



CHAPTER X. 

Critical Situation of the United States Army. 

General Orders. 
Head Quarters, Lewiston, August 22, 1812. 
It is painful to the Major General to find that some part of the troops 
are so regardless of their duty as to disobey the orders issued for prevent- 
ing scattering firing in and about the camp. This dangerous and disgrace- 
ful practice is once more and for the last time prohibited. If any more 
of the line (the guards and sentinels excepted) shall, after this discharge 
his fire-arms without orders, he will be instantly confined ; and the field 
and company officers are strictly enjoined to enforce this order. The 
Major General regrets that he is compelled to remind the officers under 
his command of the necessity of being in camp at night: for if tliey will 
be regardless of their duty, what can be expected of their men by such an 
example ? They are, in future, directed to be at night in their tents, un- 
less otherwise ordered; and in perfect readiness at any moment, to com- 
mence or repel an attack, to which troops in the face of an enemy are at 
all times liable. The Officers and troops meet with the perfect approbation 
of the Major General, for their alertness in parading at reveille; with the 
exception of one or two companies, which were not this morning on parade 
and the captain of one company not in camp. But let him beware for the 
future ; if caution and remonstrance will avail nothing, more decisive 
measures will. Tomorrow being the Sabbath, the guards will not discharge 
their pieces until Monday, after roll-call; and this regulation will be ob- 
served until further orders. 

By order of Major General Van Rensselaer, 
Sol. Van Rensselaer, Aki-de-Camp. 



214 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

General Dearhorn to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Greenbusli, Aug. 25, 1812. 

As soon as practicable after the receipt of this, you will please to have 
the enclosed letter directed to the Commanding Officer of the British 
forces at Fort George, at Niagara, conveyed to him by a flag ; and the 
letter directed to Gen. Hull, you will please to have forwarded to him by 
express, with as great despatch as practicable ; and at the expiration of 
four days after the letter is delivered to the British Commanding Officer 
at Fort George, you will consider the temporary conditional agreement 
for suspending offensive operations between the forces under your com- 
mand, and the British forces in your vicinity, as no longer binding on 
either sidej and you will act accordingly; and you will make every exer- 
tion in your power for annoying the enemy, as well as to guard against 
any attack from him. Considerable reinforcements have been sent on 
from Montreal to strengthen their positions in Upper Canada ; and I trust 
you will very soon receive such additional force from this State, and from 
Pennsylvania, as will enable you to pass into Canada with safety and 
effect. A large reinforcement is on its march under Brig. Gen. Dodge, for 
Sacketts Harbour and Ogdensburgh, as well as for Plattsburgh. I have 
ordered thirty bateaux to Niagara, and an equal number to Sacketts Har- 
bour, and have directed the building of proper scows for the transporta- 
tion of ordnance. If the enemy should have detached from Fort George. 
it may afford you an opportunity to strike a blow. I have the honour, &c. 

P. S. Sir, it will be advisable to wait until the arrival of Lt. Col. Fen- 
wick with the cannon, and stores shall be rendered certain, within four 
days, before you send the enclosed letter to Fort George. I presume he 
must arrive before this reaches you; but it may be otherwise. 

(Signed) H. Dearborn. 

Major Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer. 

Majoi- General Van Rensselaer to Major General Sheaffe. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, Aug. 25, 1812. 

I have learnt, with regret, that last night a subaltern officer with a few 
soldiers and citizens, contrary to my orders, passed over from the Ameri- 
can shore, and on Buckhorn Island, surprised and brought off a sergeant 
and five men, with a boat. Early this morning, I ordered the sergeant 
and men released, and the boat restored to them. 

I have the honour, &c. 
Major General Sheaffe, Commanding, &c. S. Van Rensselaer. 

Major General Isaac Brock to Major Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Fort George, 25th x\ug. 1812. 

Major General Sheaffe having communicated to me your letter of this 
date, addressed to him, I seize upon the first moment to express my thanks 
for the measures you have adopted to prevent the possibility of any mis- 
understanding which might have arisen in consequence of the unautho- 
rized act of one of your subaltern officers. It was not until my arrival at 
Fort Erie, late in the evening of the 28d instant that I learnt that a ces- 
sation of hostilities had been agreed upon, between General Dearborn and 
Sir George Provost; and I, in consequence, despatched early yesterday 
morning an express to Amherstburgh, ordering a cessation of all offensive 
operations against the United States, in that quarter ; and likewise to 



Legacy of Histokical Gleanings. 215 

exert every influence in restraining the Indians from committing any acts 
of hostility. 

The fortune of war having put me in possession of Detroit and its de- 
pendencies, a small garrison has been ordered to occupy the Fort, the chief 
object of which was to afford protection to the inhabitants of the Territory. 
I have the honor to enclose a copy of a Proclamation which I issued upon 
this occasion. I have the honour, &c., 

Isaac Brock. 

Major General Van Rensselaer, commanding Lewiston. 

Oen. Van Rensselaer to General Dearborn. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 26th August, 1812. 

I have the honour to enclose you a copy of a Proclamation, which I 
this day received from Major General Brock, under cover of his letter of 
this date to me j a copy of which letter, I also transmit to you. My 
letter to Major General Sheaffe, of which mention is made, was to disavow 
an imprudent act of a subaltern officer, who, with a few soldiers and citi- 
zens, passed over, since the Armistice, to Buckhorn Island, and there 
surprised a sergeant and five men, of the enemy, and brought them off, 
together with their boat, which men I ordered to be immediately released 
and the boat restored. 

The surrender of General Hull's army excites a great deal of alarm in 
this vicinity. I shall, however, as far as in my power, check and keep it 
under. I have the Honour, &c. 

Major General Dearborn. S. Van Rensselaer. 

There was so much unpleasant feeling at this time, that political con- 
troversy ran very high. " Gen. Peter B. Porter and Col. Solomon Van 
Rensselaer had such a bitter dispute, that it resulted in a challenge from 
Porter, but they never reached the dueling ground on Grand Island. 
General Stephen Van Rensselaer watched them closely after he heard of 
the challenge, and was prepared to arrest them both when they should 
attempt to go to thei sland." The difficulty arose from an infringement 
of the armistice as shown by the above letters. 

One of the old soldiers under Col. Van Rensselaer wntes : " I witnessed 
the untiring exertions of this gallant officer to bring the militia in order 
for military operations, and never was there so great a change as was 
witnessed with astonishment and pleasure by all of us in so short a time, 
by the measures he pursued. The camp was formed, and the general 
orders for its regulation were the most concise and military I ever saw, 
our duties were clearly pointed out to us, while his amiable and decided 
deportment made it a pleasure to obey him. At four o'clock in the morning, 
the troops were on parade, where we always found him, directing the dis- 
cipline so necessary to our safety and honor ; wherever his services were 
required, there he would be found. 

" The sick and well soldiers will long remember his exertions to make 
them comfortable ; indeed no one but an eye-witness can form an idea of 
the order and regularity of the camp and his masterly arrangements along 
the whole line of the Niagara. The general orders were all written by 
him, they will compare with any orders written during the war. 

'' The want of cannon and military stores embarrassed them much. 
When the colonel left us to go over the river about the armistice, we could 
not but be proud of his handsome looks and manly bearing. 



216 Legacy of Histokical Gleanings. 

" When Hull's army was marched past us, there were insinuations that 
Gen. Van Rensselaer would do the like, but notwithstanding all the 
reports, Col. Van llensselaer kept the troops every day at close drill and 
field duty, he was constantly among them. Some of the suspected officers 
discovered that his eagle eye was upon them ; he was generally feared and 
loved ; and it was owing to his unflinching firmness that there was not a 
mutiny in camp, and that the militia did not disband themselves and go 
home, as was the case after he was wounded. The disastrous fortune of 
Hull, together with several other reverses to our arms, up to this time, 
had a very dispiriting eff"ect upon the army collected at Lewiston. Beside 
this, it was ascertained that there were persons in the camp, busily en- 
gaged, either from political or selfish motives, exciting this discontent and 
in promulgating doctrines which had the tendency of producing conscien- 
tious scnq)les among the men, against crossing into Canada. 

"When Gen. Brock with all the force he could draw from the upper 
country arrived, he intended to take Fort Niagara, but the cannon and 
military stores had arrived and been judiciously disposed of, we showed a 
bold front, and no attack was made. Yet their difficulties were many, for 
the great deficiency of all the necessary munitions for war curtailed their 
movements. There were about fifty or sixty Schenectady boats loaded 
with heavy cannon and stores at Oswego not wishing to enter further on 
the lake for fear of the British ships but after the cessation of arms, they 
all passed safely on, as also the vessels with which General Dearborn and 
the lamented Pike made the attack upon York. If Gen. John Armstrong 
or any man of the same political clique, in favor with the government, 
had commanded at Queenston, he would have been promptly and pro- 
perly supplied with all necessary articles for use and defense, but with 
the present officer, every thing had been curtailed. The agreement re- 
garding the armistice and use of the waters of the lake, as a common 
course, was signed on the 21st of August ; this important service which 
was only gained by the firmness of the soldier s friend^ gave us the com- 
mand of Lake Ontario, and by the safe arrival of the cannon and military 
stores enabled us to maintain our position. 

" It was supposed that Gen. Hull was in possession of Maiden, when the 
lamentable news arrived of Gen. Hull's treachery and the capture of his 
army. This indeed was a great damper to the United States troops, and 
what added to the mortification, on the 25th of the same month General 
Brock at the head of his British troops had been seen, on the opposite side of 
the river, within a quarter of a mile of us, conducting along the heights of 
Queenston Gen. Hull and his American army ; marching these prisoners 
of war triumphantly along in full view of the United States troops laying 
at Lewiston ! ! 

" Never did I see such vehement excitement and distrust on the part of 
our troops, the idea spread through the camp that Hull had sold the army. 
No doubt but this had some effect upon the militia of the United States 
declining to reinforce their brothers in the battle on the 13th of October. 
After the disgraceful fall of Detroit and surrender of Gen. Hull, there were 
strong symptoms of distrust among the troops, and it was used by political 
leaders as a fire-brand to inflame passions and undermine the influence of 
General Van Rensselaer. The chaplain frequently noticed such reports 
in his sermons, and would advise them not to fear, and pledged his life to 
the troops that they would never be Hulled, but the unfortunate im- 
pression was not removed, and great alarm was felt by the inhabitants." 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 217 

A letter received from Albany stated : "I must tell you a ridiculous re- 
port in circulation, and very much credited, which Madame Rumor says, 
the <iOvernor has propa<;iited ; he having seen Mr. Lovett run to avoid 
meeting his excellency, first from Lewis's and then from Gregory's which 
induces many to believe that the patroon has deserted his post and is con- 
cealed safely at his home, and you here with us ! Mr. Van Vechten says : 
' it is no joke, I am frequently asked about it ! ' " 

From the first. Gen. Van Kensselaer acted on the certain knowledge, 
that it was expected of him to make a descent upon Canada at the earliest 
possible period. He knew that neither the government nor the country 
was prepared to be satisfied with defensive measures only. Nothwithstand- 
ing this, the first glance he had of his position, after he reached the 
frontier, showed him at once, that nothing could be attempted, at least 
for a considerable period. Indeed his own condition was critical in the 
extreme, and even his ability to defend himself in case of attack, was 
more than doubtful. 

Gen. Dearborn, the commander of this entire district, had been ordered 
by the secretary of war, in his instructions of the 1st of August, to make 
a diversion in favor of Gen. Hull, at Niagara. There was no preparation 
to do anything effectual under this order. Before Gen. Van Rensselaer 
reached the frontier. Gen. Brock was on his way, with a competent force 
withdrawn from his posts on the Niagara, to meet Gen. Hull, leaving be- 
hind him, however, a force abundantly sufficient, with the reinforcements 
they were then receiving, for the protection of the posts he had left, against 
any attempt which could have been made on them on our part; sufficient 
even to have made it quite possible to carry the war to the American 
side of the river, with every prospect of advantage and success. 

During the month which succeeded the disgraceful fall of Detroit and 
surrender of Gen. Hull, the condition and prospects of the army were, on 
the whole, but little improved. There was, in nearly all this time, every 
reason to expect an attack. Every thing indicated great activity on the 
British side, and preparation for some signal blow. In the condition of 
Fort Niagara, it was natural to suppose that would be the first object. It 
is believed that an attack was only prevented by the show of defense which 
was set up. The mess house was unroofed and mounted with cannon, 
and a battery was planted on the bank of the river above the fort, while, 
in case of a hostile attempt, the safety of the troops was attempted to be 
provided for, by a new road cut through the woods at a distance from the 
river in the rear. 

" The general calls upon the troops under his command to make every 
effort in perfecting that discipline on which they must rely for their own 
safety and for their country's honour, in that crisis which may be fast 
approaching." 

Major General Brock's rrodamation. 

Proclamation hy Isaac Brocks Esq., Major General commanding his 
Majesty's forces in the Province of Upper Canada, &c., &c. 

Whereas the Territory of Michigan was this day by capitulation ceded 
to the arms of his Britannic Majesty without any other condition than the 
protection of private property ; and wishing to give an early proof of the 
moderation and justice of the government, 1 do hereby announce to all 
the inhabitants of the said Territory, that the laws heretofore in existence 
28 



218 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

shall continue in force until his Majesty's pleasure be known ; or so long 
as the peace and safety of the said Territory will admit thereof; and I do 
hereby also declare and make known to the said inhabitants, that they 
shall be protected in the full exercise and enjoyment of their religion : of 
which all persons, both civil and military will take notice, and govern 
themselves accordingly. All persons having in their possession, or hav- 
ing knowledge of any public property, shall forthwith deliver in the 
same, or give notice thereof to the officer commanding, or Lt. Col. Nichol, 
who are hereby authorized to receive and give proper receipts for the 
same. Officers of militia will be held responsible that all arms in posses- 
sion of militia men, be immediately delivered up ; and all individuals 
whatever, who have in their possession arms of any kind, will deliver them 
up without delay. 

Given under my hand at Detroit, this sixteenth day of August, 1812, 
and in the fifty-second year of his Majesty's reign. 

(Signed) Isaac Brock, 

A true copy. Major General. 

J. Mac Donell, Lt. Col. Militia, P. A. D. C. 

Major Lovctt to Joseph Alexander. 

Dear Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, August 26, 1812. 

Yesterday I wrote you, Mr. Van Vechten and Col. Westerlo, but what 
I wrote I cannot say : it was a day of turmoil, mortification and humilia- 
tion through our Camp. Such a flood as the consequences of Gen. Hull's 
surrender poured in upon us that it required considerable nerve to meet 
every thing: and unluckily, Col. Van Kensselaer had gone to Buffalo to 
make some arrangements with Swift's Regiment which is getting down 
fast with sickness, and I might say too great a want of discipline. Yes- 
terday, the first we saw was a guard of about 50 men passing with some 
waggons on the opposite shore : it was the victorious Brock, returning to 
Fort George. He sent over Col. McDonald, his Aid-de-Camp, and Major 
Evans, two strapping lads in scarlet, gold and arms, to make a Communi- 
cation to General Van Rensselaer. I went to meet them at an Inn near 
the shore to learn their pleasure ; but finding it was general and verbal ; 
it could not be received. They were, however, very modest, very respect- 
ful ; and altho' I constantly barred any communication, they still kept bow- 
ing and saying that " Gen. Brock only wished to acquaint Gen. Van Rens- 
selaer" of this, and that, and that &c. &c. In this way they convinced 
me that Brock had not learnt any thing of the Armistice until he arrived 
in this neighbourhood. That but a very small force was left behind, that 
Brock, learning the Armistice felt very friendly disposition &c. I made 
my best bow, and scraped as fast as I could ; but a -poor jjrivafe Secretary^ 
alone against two such Scarlet-clad Champions had, as you may suppose, 
an indifi"erent chance. We parted : but I think Gen. Van Rensselaer will 
shortly receive some written communication from Gen. Brock. In the 
evening a number of Hull's Officers, on parole, visited Gen. V. R. They 
were very cautious of their words, but I could discern a degree of disaffec- 
tion towards Hull. Gen. Hull will probably be sent to Quebec. The 
Militia captured I understand are sent home, that's all. Indeed I have 
not either time or patience to examine into this most nameless affair. I 
feel what you may suppose. I need say no more. 

I was ever proud of my Country, and as an American could look any 
man, of Any Nation, at least liorizontally in the face. But, yesterday, 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 219 

my eyes seemed to have acquired a new attachment to the ground. I sent 
Van Vechten a paper giving the detail of the surrender; sent by an ex- 
press to overtake the Mail, hope he got it. And now, my friend, what 
think you of OM/- situation '{ It is true we are all tied up by the Armistice, 
but either party may throw it off by 4 days notice. I don't believe the 
Enemy will throw it off. Nevertheless we have to cast about a little. 
This part of the Country now think their whole salvation rests upon our 
little raw army. I think I know the fact, that after Brock had taken 
Hull, he expressed his determination to return and take Niagara. I think 
his mind is altered by the Armistice : but he can take Niagara any houi 
. he pleases. Yes my friend, we can't defend Niagara one hour. And as 
for our present Camp, I now write with one eye on a single gun on yoa 
hill in Queenstoa, which would rout us all in 3 minutes ; and we have 
only two Grass-hoppers to retnvn the fire. The Ohio Officers, prisoners, also 
were last evening with us, say that the Indians with Brock are the finest 
fellows they ever saw, a size larger than they ever saw, they are commanded 
by the Prophet's Brother Tecumsich, he is hourly expected at Fort George, 
7 miles from us, about near enough, and it is said the tawny Host is to 
follow. Well ! be it so; one thing our friends may be assured of, we are 
not scared yet. We shall never be Hulled. Our General is thoughtful 
but firm. We have been reconuoitering this morning ; and shall probably 
this afternoon, fix upon a spot to which we shall remove in case the Armistice 
is broken off. We have a piece of ground in view where our little force 
may make a tolerable stand, and then secure our retreat unless they flank 
us wider then I believe their force will admit. At any rate we will not be 
Hulled, they may pound us, or grind us. Be all of you of good cheer as 
respects us, and use the fate of the other army as you ought. Now don't 
let my good wife get fidgety about me in this new predicament tell her I 
am well, and can run like a Boy, and will not be taken. I confess we are 
very solicitous to hear from Washington and know what we are to do, and 
take our measures accordingly. The night before last one of our rash 
Subalterns with a dozen men, went upon Buckhorn Island, surprised a Ser- 
geant and 5 men and brought them off. We broke the Armistice ; but Gen. 
V. B. restored the men and wrote Gen. Sheaffe commanding Fort George 
and Dependencies &c. &c. &e. [Kites fly best with long tails.] 120 of 
Swifts little Reg. sick I told you so, but I am well. The d — 1 seems to 
have got into everybody. I am still John Lovett. 

iMr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. 

General Orders. 

Head Quarters, Lewiston, August 28th, 1812. 

The army under the command of Brigadier General Hull has surren- 
dered at Detroit. This is a national disaster ; but it is the duty of soldiers 
to turn even disasters to profit. To this end the General calls upon the 
troops under his command to make every effort in perfecting that disci- 
pline on which they must rely for their own safety and for their country's 
honour, in that crisis which m;iy be fast approaching. The General is 
persuaded that Americans know the inestimable rights which they enjoy ; 
and he confidently trusts, that their bravery to defend is in proportion to 
the knowledge they possess of those rights. The troops will be exercised 
at reveille, and from four o'clock in the afternoon, two hours instead of 
one, as mentioned in general orders of the 19th instant. 

Capt. Dogherty and Lieut. Hewit, of Col. Swift's regiment, are released 



220 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

from their arrests, and will return to their duty. This renewed instance 
of clemency of the Major General, it is hoped, will be properly appre- 
ciated by them : it is not his wish to punish, but orders must and shall 
be obeyed. The unhealthy state of the troops under the command of 
Lieut. Col. Swift, at Black Eock, renders particular attention to them, 
and to the causes of their maladies, necessary. For this purpose Doctor 
Brown will associate with him Doctor Daniel Chipman ; and they will 
proceed, without delay, to that place, and make full inquiry into the situ- 
ation of the sick, the causes which have produced the diseases, and the 
manner in which they have been treated ; of all which they will make 
report, in writing, to the Major General ; suggesting the best mode, in 
their opinion, to restore those who are sick, and preserve the health of 
the well. These, and all other orders, are to be read by the Adjutants 
to the troops under the command of the Major General. The Command- 
ing Officers of regiments and corps will give orders accordingly. 

By order of Major General Van Rensselaer, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer, Aid- de- Camp. 

Major Lovett to Abraham Van Vediten. 
Dear Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 28th August, 1812. 

It is an observation of Cicero's that " those things which we see with 
our eyes, make a deeper impression on our minds, and we longer retain 
them in our memory, than those things which we hear with our ears." 
Now Sir, in this letter, I shall have occasion to touch upon some things 
which I have seen, and I confess to you they have made a pretty deep im- 
pression on my mind. Things are bad enough now. I do not speak of 
our little Camp : we are snug, getting in fine order, and with infinite, un- 
ceasing industry preparing for the loorst, while we hope for the best. I 
speak on the general scale of all things around us. Hull's surrender is to 
me incomprehensible. I had expected his destruction would be certain, 
but it has come in such a way as I did not expect. Three of his officers 
say, he had a force of 2,200 ; the British all around assert that he has sur- 
rendered between 2,500 and 3,000; his provisions were ample for 3 more 
weeks ; of ordnance and every munition of war he had abundance, yet he 
surrendered to a force vastly inferior, probably to 600 or 700 British 
Troops, and about the same number of Indians. He fired not a gun, and 
but one was fired at him. Then ichy did Hull surrender, is the question ? 
No one here can answer. From his Officers, and all I have seen it appears 
that there was through the whole army a very great disaffection towards 
Hull. Cowardice is pretty generally imputed to him. Many allege cor- 
ruption, his officers seem greatly distressed at the character of the surren- 
der. Now the Consequences of this affair cast such a blot on the Amer- 
ican character as the tears of your children and mine and a hundred 
more generations can never sponge away. 

This event has cemented Canada beyond any thing you can conceive. 
It has a serious effect also on our Indians on the whole Frontier. The 
affair with Gen. Harrison gave them the scent of blood and you may de- 
pend on it, it has been well improved. TecumsicJi the Prophet's Brother, 
a warrior of almost unbounded influence, now openly holds the language : 
that the Great Spirit intended the Ohio River for the Boundary between 
his white and red children. That many of the first warriors have always 
thought so : but a cloud hung over the eyes of the tribes and they could 
not see what the Great Spirit meant. That Gen. Brock has now torn away 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 221 

that cloud, and the Indians see clearly that all the white people must go 
back east of the Ohio, and if one attempts to cross that river, " Indians 
will cut (heir Toes off.". Yesterday, I beheld such a sight as God knows, 
I never expected to see, and He only knows the sensations it created in my 
heart. I saw my Countrymen, Free born Americans, robbed of the inherit- 
ance which their dying Fathers bequeathed them, stripped of the arms 
which achieved our Independence and marching into a strange laud by 
hundreds as black cattle for the market ! ! 

Before and behind on the right and on the left their proud victors gleamed 
in arms, and their heads erect with the pride of victory. How many of 
our unfortunate Brethren were in this situation I know not; the road for 
more than a mile is perfectly in our view. I think the line, including wag- 
ons, pleasure carriages etc. was half a mile long, scattered. The sensa- 
tions this scene produced in our camp were inexpressible : mortification, in- 
dignation, fearful apprehension, suspicion, jealousy, dismay, rage, madness. 

It was a sad day with us, but the poor fellows last evening went on board 
the shipping and I presume passed over to York [Toronto.] I saw a gen- 
tleman who was present when Gren. Hull alighted from his carriage at Fort 
George, hale, corpulent and apparently in high spirits, and hence will he 
ever return ? He goes to Quebec. [" General Hull and the regular offi- 
cers, and soldiers were reserved for the triumphant entry of the British 
officers into Montreal and Quebec. Thither they were taken, and Hull 
himself, seated in an old, ragged, open carriage, was drawn through the 
streets of Montreal, and thus exhibited as a rare show, to the natives there 
assembled."] Such the scenes before us; all eyes seem now turned on 
General Van Rensselaer, for direction and on our little army for defence. 
I tell you that nothing but the man who is now on the ground could pre- 
vent incalculable mischief in this quarter. It is his Respectability and 
character which efi"ects all that is eft'ected, and I am proud to say, he is as- 
siduously, vigilantly and ably supported; we have plenty to do from the 
4 o'clock morning Gun until 9 at night. I acknowledge with many thanks 
the receipt of your letter of the 4th. ■ The General and myself heartily ac- 
quiesce in the sentiments it contains : But you kill Solomon. Should you 
plume a Game-cock in the feathers of an Ostrich, it would not alter him : 
it could not. He would be a Game-cock still. He is a vastly valuable 
man in an Army. Our little Army improves very fast and under his dis- 
cipline, from 4 in the morning until 8 at night something is constantly 
going on. 6 P. M. I had hoped for leisure to complete my letter, but 
the afternoon has been every moment taken up. 

I saw a gentleman who had this day seen one of Hull's Captains also 
openly and roundly asserted that Hull was a coward. That as soon as the 
first gun was fired he sat down with his back against a solid protection. 
Don't forget my dear temporary widow and little ones ; tell her I live 
like an Indian Chief in my Tent alone ; and that my General has pro- 
mised to make me Governor of Michigan — if I will take it. 

Yours truly 

Abraham Van Vechten, Esquire, Albany. John Lovett. 

" On August 14, General Brock, the British commander in chief, took 
a position opposite Detroit, and began to fortify it by erecting batteries. 
On the next day he summoned Hull to surrender, which he utterly refused 
to do, in reply. Brock opened his batteries and threw bombs during the 
night, for the purpose of diverting Hull's attention from what Brock was 



222 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

then doing. In the morning it was discovered that the enemy had landed 
at Springwells. At the very moment, when every American in the army, 
except its commander, was ready and anxious to begin the mortal combat; 
what were their emotions when they were ordered into the fort and to lay 
down their arms? They reluctantly obeyed, and a white flag was raised 
on the tort. 

" Without shedding a drop of blood, without firing a single gun, the fort, 
with all its cannon taken with Burgoyne, at Saratoga, from the British, 
with a vast amount of powder, lead, cannon balls, and all the munitions of 
war, all, all were surrendered, tmconditioncdli/ surrendered to the enemy. 

" Colonel McArthur and Cass, with about four hundred of the very best 
troops in the army, had been despatched (just as the very moment they 
would be most needed) under the pretense of guarding the wagons, with 
the provisions, which Governor Meigs of Ohio was forwarding to the 
army. These troops under McArthur and Cass had marched about forty 
miles into the country, among the whortleberry hills of Michigan, and then 
matched back again, without seeing any provisions, until they had arrived 
within about nine miles of Detroit on their return. Here they were re- 
freshing themselves on the products of some bee-hives and a fat steer, 
which they had just killed. Here they were met by a flag of truce borne 
by a British ofiicer, and a file of men, from whom they learned that they 
were prisoners of war ! They marched forward to Detroit, laid down their 
arms on the pavement, and were marched into the fort, which was then so 
crowded that there was scarcely room for them to lie down. Captain 
Brush who was guarding the provisions was included in the capitulation, 
as well as the provisions themselves, but the militia who were marching to 
join Hull's army were allowed to return home. A salute was fired in the 
presence of Gen. Brock with one of the brass cannon included in the capi- 
tulation. It bore the inscription : ' Taken at Saratoga on the llfh of 
October 1777. ' When the British ofiicers saw this, they were so delighted 
that some of them greeted the old British captive, now released, with 
kisses and remarked, ' we must have an addition put to that inscription, 
namely, Betaken at Detroit, August 16, 1812.' It was on this occasion 
General Brock paid marked respect to Tecumseh. He took oif his own 
rich crimson silk sash and publicly placed it round the waist of the chief. 
Tecumseh received it with dignity and great satisfaction. General Hull 
was afterwards tried for his conduct by a court martial viz. : First, for 
treason, second cowardice, and third, unoflicer like conduct. He was con- 
demned to death, but pardoned by the president." 

Q. M. Gen. Porter to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Manchester, Aug. 28th, 1812. 

Mr. Beard, the person whom I employed to go P^xpress to Gen. Hull, 
has returned with your dispatches which I herewith enclose. On his 
arrival at Cayahoga he met several boats with the militia prisoners of 
Genl. Hull's army, & finding it useless, as well as impracticable to pro- 
ceed, he immediately returned. Mr. Beard informs that when these 
boats were first discovered at and beyond Cayahoga, they were supposed 
to contain an Army of British & Indians, whose object it was to over-run 
the country & Expresses with information to that efi"ect were sent in every 
direction, & that the inhabitants were in a state of the greatest alarm & 
confusion & quitting their homes. 

Before Mr Beard left Cayahoga, however, about 1,000 Militia had 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 223 

collected, and in the course of the day succeeding his departure, it was 
pretty well ascertained that there would be about 3,000 men at that place, 
tolerably armed & provided with ammunition, & desirous of marching im- 
mediately to Detroit. That about 2,000 Kentuckians were on their march 
to re-enforce Genl. Hull, & it was hoped they would fall in with a party 
of Indians under Tcciiniseh, who, it was understood from our prisoners, 
had left Detroit to take Fort Wayne. Mr. Beard on his return took great 
pains, & he thinks with effect to allay the fears of the inhabitants and 
induce them to remain at home. I send a copy of Genl. Hull's capitula- 
tion. Major Cuyler has taken the Capitulation to copy & will send it to 
you. Yours respectfully 

Maj. Genl. Van Rensselaer. Peter B. Porter. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Oovernor Tompkins. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, Aug. 31, 1812. 

Presuming that the surrender of General Hull's army has been officially 
announced to your Excellency through the proper channel, I shall not 
enter into any details upon the event so disastrous to our country : its 
consequence must be felt every where ; but they are peculiarly distressing 
upon these frontiers, both to the citizens, and the little army under my 
command. Alarm pervades the country, and distrust among the troops. 
They are incessantly pressing for furloughs, under every possible pretence. 
Many are without shoes ; all clamorous for pay. Many are sick. Swift's 
regiment at Black Rock are about one-fourth part down. I have ordered 
Doctor Brown to associate Doctor Chapin with him, and to examine as to 
the causes producing the diseases, the mode of treating them, &c., and to 
report to me their opinion of the best mode of restoring the sick, and pre- 
serving the health of those who remain well. This duty they are now 
performing. 

Captain Jennings has been tried by a court-martial, and found guilty 
of such charges as forfeited his commission ; and I have approved the 
sentence. The proceedings, in form, will soon be forwarded to your 
Excellency. 

While we are thus growing daily weaker, our-enemy is growing stronger. 
They hold a very commanding position on the high ground above Queens- 
town, and they are daily strengthening themselves in it, with men and 
ordnance. Indeed, they are fortifying almost every prominent point, 
from Fort Erie, to Fort George. At present we rest upon the armistice; 
but should hostilities be recommenced, I must immediately change my 
position. I receive no reinforcements of men, no ordnance, or munitions 
of war. I must hope, that I shall not long be left in this situation. 

Two gentlemen, Messrs. Johnson and Bascom, came over in a flag to 
the garrison, at Niagara, and the first I knew of them they were in my 
camp. Being satisfied that they were American citizens, men of intelli- 
gence, and some standing in society, I permitted them to pass on, with 
orders to report themselves to your Excellency. 

There is one fact, which though not immediately connected with my 
department, I cannot refrain from mentioning ; the unfortunate soldiers 
of General Hull's army, who marched by my camp on their way to lower 
Canada, are very destitute of clothing, Every consideration would urge 
that some attention should be paid to their condition. 

I have the honour &c., 

His Excellency Governor Tompkins. 



224 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The Captain Jennings mentioned in the above letter " made himself 
famous, at one time, for his poetical order on Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins, 
which has been related as follows : The officers had met to prepare a re- 
quisition letter to the goveruor, for two held pieces. While discussing 
the form in which to address so distinguished a man, one of the judges, 
at that time doing duty on the bench, made a bantering wager with Capt. 
Jennings that the ordnance could be procured on an order, the form of 
which should be dictated by him. The judge walked up to the desk, 
seized the pen and forthwith produced the following. 

' Great Daniel D., we send to thee 
For two great guns and trimmings : 

Send tliem to liand, or you'll be d d. 

By order of Capt. Jennings.' 

" This of course created a good deal of amusement ; and though it was 
not officially sent to the governor, as the ordnance was obtained through a 
regular order, the story was too good to be kept ; the governor, who was 
fond of a good joke, in some way learned of the incident, and was also 
aware that his friend the judge, had a hand in it. Some of the officers 
in this company were rewarded for gallant services in the war, by promo- 
tion, and they, with others, sent to Albany for their commissions. On 
calling for them at the proper office, the judge learned that they were all 
made out and lacked only the signature of the governor. To facilitate 
the business he offered to take them himself to his excellency who, on 
receiving them, placed his autograph to the documents, one after the 
other, till coming to one belonging to Capt. Jennings's company, he stopped 
and very gravely inquired : ' Is this by order of Capt. Jennings' ?" 

" The company lately under the command of Captain Jennings, in 
Lieut. Col. Swift's regiment, had become so clamorous for pay, and con- 
tended so strenuously that their time had expired, that I have ordered 
them to be dismissed, in the opinion that this would meet your excellency's 
approbation. I was strengthened by learning from Brigadier General 
Brown, that Lieut. Col. Bellinger's regiment, who were on the same 
standing in service, at Sackett's Harbour, have been discharged by your 
order." 

Col. Van Rensselaer to Ids wife. 
Dear Harriet, Lewiston, 1st September, 1812. 

I wrote you yesterday from this place by the mail, in which letter I 
gave you an account of all that was passing here, this day we received an 
Express from Genl. Dearborn that the Armistice was at an end. But at 
the time he was despatched from Green Bush they knew nothing of the 
Surrender of General Hull and his Army, and what effect that informa- 
tion will have on the measures of a weak and despicable General and 
Government, time only will determine. We shall at all events go on and 
make all the arrangements in our power to meet the Crisis which in all 
probability is approaching. If nothing is done it will not be our fault, 
but that of Government ; by Express and by almost every Mail the 
Governor and Genl. Dearborn have been informed of our situation * * * 
The express Lt. Smith returns immediately to Albany by whom I send 
this, I could not let him leave this without again expressing my anxiety 
for your health and happiness. I am all solicitude on your account and 
wish sincerely I was with you until that certain event was over, but keep 
up your spirits and think of your children and me. I hope happier and 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 225 

more comfortable times will attend us. Our General is more than fond 
of me, he leaves everythinj^ to me and has not on any occasion fuund 
fault ; he is very amiable and I can truly say of him, what he has on many 
occasions said of me that " I did not know the man." Lovett and myself 
live like Brothers, and if I could be but informed of your true situation 
I should be happy, as f;ir as the late unhappy event at home would suffer 
me to be, but the Clover-lot is ever before me. Kiss the children for me 
and attend to your health. Remember me to all friends and believe me 
in whatever situation T am placed, I am ever the same to you, your affec- 
tionate & sincere g^^^ y^^, Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Van Rensselaer, Mount Hope. 

On September 1st, four or five vessels arrived at Fort George with 
troops from Montreal and the enemy, flushed with victory, were every 
moment on the alert. " They hold a very commanding position over above 
us in Queenstown, and are strengthening it with men and cannon. In- 
deed every prominent point from Fort Erie to Fort George looks saucy." 
Colonel Fenwick had not arrived, when orders were received from Gen. 
Dearborn, to put an end to the armistice. He was, however, as it turned 
out, then approaching his place of destination, and the first relief Gen. 
Van Rensselaer experienced, was in the arrival of Col. Fenwick, with 
ordnance and stores, on the 4th day of September. He was directed out 
of abundant caution to land at the Four 31ile creek, instead of attempting 
to reach Fort Niagara. Early in September, Gen. Van Rensselaer was 
advised by General Dearborn, that the enemy was preparing to make an 
effort to reduce this army to the mortifying situation of Gen. Hull's and 
that he must be ready " to make good a sure retreat." The abandonment 
of the fort was also expressly recommended, and the fear expressed, that, 
if retained, it would prove a trap for the garrison, for examinations had 
shown that it was utterly untenable and indefensible against a serious at- 
tack. The importance, however, of maintaining all his positions, led the 
general to the determination to put forth every effort and energy, (o this 
effect, and to adopt the unalterable resolution to dispute every inch of 
ground with his adversary, in case of an attempt to dislodge him. The 
letters written a few days later to Gen. Dearborn and Gov. Tompkins show 
the condition of things as well as the opinions and resolution of the com- 
manding general. 

General Orders. 

Head Quarters, Lewiston, 4th Sept., 1812. 

The Major General announces to the troops, that, agreeable to an order 
received from Major General Dearborn, the armistice entered into between 
him and the Governor General of Upper and Lower Canada will be ter- 
minated at twelve o'clock, at noon, on the eighth day of September instant. 

The troops under his command will, however, understand, explicitly, 
tbat they are not to act offensively without previous orders from him ; but 
to be vigilant in their duty, and ready to execute any command they 
may receive when a proper occasion presents itself. The troops will strike 
their tents tomorrow morning at reveille : the tents, tent-poles, and bag- 
gage, will be packed up, ready to move, in one hour from that time. The 
Quarter Master will measure the space necessary for a double row of tents 
for each company, and furnish the necessary transportation. 
29 



226 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

A fatigue party, of a sergeant, corporal, and twelve men will attend 
at the same time at head quarters. 

By order of the Major General Van Rensselaer, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer, Aid-de-Camp. 

An express had been sent to Col. Fenwick, to land at Four Mile creek. 
This precaution was taken lest the armistice might have been terminated 
below, or some accident might throw the cargo into the hands of the 
enemy. As soon as this was effected, and in the same morning, having 
been charged with the delivery of the notice terminating the armistice, 
to the British commandant, I crossed over from the fort to discharge the 
duties of this mission, which I did in a personal interview with General 
Sheaffe. Col. Van R. had been vigilant and observing regarding the 
condition of the enemy. 

Major Gen. Van Rensselaer to Major Oen. Brock. 
Sir, Head-Quarters, Lewiston, Sept. 4th, 1812. 

By the articles which I had the honour to conclude with Major Gen. 
Sheaffe on the 21st ult., for the government of the troops of the United 
States under my command, and his Britannic Majesty's forces on this 
frontier, during the temporary armistice, it was, among other things, 
stipulated that " the parti/ 7cJio shall first receive orders for the renewal of 
hostilities shall give fonr days' notice., computing ticentyfour hours to each 
day, before any offensive operation shall take place." 

Having now received orders to terminate the armistice, in conformity 
to the above recited stipulation, I have the honour to transmit you this 
notice, that the armistice will be terminated at twelve o'clock, at noon, on 
Tuesday, the eighth day of September, inst. 

I have the honour, &c. 

S. Van Rensselaer. 

Major Gen. Isaac Brock or officer commanding Fort George. 

Major Gen. Sheaffe to Major Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Fort George, 5th Sept., 1212. 

I have the honour of receiving your communication, signifying the in- 
tention on the part of the United States of renewing hostilities, after four 
days shall have elapsed from the period at which the notice was given. 
Thus declaring that the armistice shall terminate at twelve o'clock at 
noon on the eighth day of this September. 

I have the honour, &c. 

R. H. Sheaefe, J/cy. Gen. H. B. M. forces. 
Major Gen. Van Rensselaer, commanding Frontiers. 

Col. Van Rensselaer to Abraham Van Vcchten. 
My dear Sir, Lewiston, 5th September, 1812. 

This evening Mr. Swan arrived in three days from Albany on Express 
from Gen. Dearborn, with Information that a large body of British Troops 
had left Montreal for the opposite bank of this River and Cautioning 
Gen. V. R. to guard against a Surprise from them, and if hard pressed to 
make a Safe retreat, his caution against a surprise is unnecessary, and as 
for a retreat we shall not think of, until we have tried some blustering 
Democrats who pretend to be full of fighting and crossing the River, but 
their opinions as to crossing no attention will be paid to, until it is proper 



LEGAcr OF Historical Gleanings. 227 

we should come to Action, and then they will be brought to a Close one. 
With the force which arrived yesterday under the Command of Lt. Col. 
Fenwick, we have in the agf^regate of Regular Troops and Militia two 
thousand two hundred men Detached on a frontier of forty miles, from 
Fort Niagara to Buffalo. While the British liave opposed to us (besides 
the force Dearborn speaks of), from every information we can get, and 
from their appearance every day in our view, at least that number of 
Kegular Troops, with strong Batteries at every Crossing point to meet and 
of these there are but very few owing to the extreme height of the Banks. 

In short we are deficient in almost everything: four 18 pounders, two 
twelve-pounders; eight Six's; and two four's, are all the Ordnance we 
have for the defence of this Line; two six's honey-combed, some of them 
without Shot and six without Flarness. Fort Niagara not tenable (you 
all suppose it impregnable. Not so, it cannot be maintained 15 minutes), 
and the Stores are now Removing with a view to abandon it, and in this 
place Capt. Leonard buried two 13 Inch Mortar and Six 81 Inch How- 
itzers for the want of Shells. 

No Surgical Instruments, lint, bandage or Hospital Stores; no forage 
and no Quarter Master. Peter B. Porter has been only twice in camp 
since we have been here, and instead of getting the feast ready, is attend- 
ing to his private affairs ; he is an abomiaable Scoundrel, and I have made 
no Secret in telling his friends so. [This difficulty was all made up, they 
were good friends many years before death.] 

I have written at least a dozen letters to Harriot without receiving a 
line from her since I left home. She certainly must be ill or perhaps 
something worse, pray let me beg of you to Remove the weight that hangs 
on my mind on her account, by informing me Candidly and Explicitly of 
her Situation. The recollection of the late overwhelming event at home, 
I fear has been too much for her, remove my anxiety and put me at rest. 

Phil's letter has alarmed me, and his is the only one I have received. 
I look with much Solicitude for the Mail on Monday. You must excuse 
me for not writing to you before ; the Detail of the Camp, and Every 
thing in Relation to the Troops, takes up all my time, I have no one to 
assist me. Adieu, present my best respects to Mrs. Van Vechten and 
those who ask or think about me. But above all comfort my poor Harriot, 
my heart Bleeds for her, and be assured that in whatever situation I am 
placed, I am your affectionate and Sincere friend. 

Sol, Van Rensselaer. 

Hon. Abraham Van Vechten, Esq., Albany, N. Y. 

Mrs. Van Rensselaer to her Husband. 

My Dear Solomon, Mount Hope, Sept. 6th, 1812. 

The enclosed, first effort of a letter by our dear boy Rensselaer, is so 
expressive of the child's feelings, I must copy it and say as he does " I 
know not what to write." I am much pleased with this first production 
of his pen, and had better send it for your gratification. 

Samuel says, he was well satisfied to stay at school and that Rev. Mr. 
Huntington had a great opinion of his abilities, which he thought had not 
been sufficiently improved, but was sure that after awhile he would be 
all he could wish. How cheering for a moment to my poor afflicted 
heart, which has been so excessively oppressed, has had no comfort since 
that trying hour when the most awful of all our many calamities befell 
us, and then your departure ■»with great anxiety on your account gives an 



228 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

additional weiglit. The innumerable perplexities in which your absence 
at this season involves me, with the farm work, cannot in spite of every 
effort banish from my mind's eye, the awful, the distressing sight of our 
sweet little " Van," when you carried him from the field bleeding and 
dying in your Arms ! Trifles, ns well as objects around, continually remind 
me of what he was, and I am indeed most wretched; this is a grievous 
subject, but no other can I dwell upon, or reflect on. It teems to harrow 
my very Soul, and not till called upon by the Great Original of All, can 
happiness be again my portion, it is dashed to the earth here, but to that 
final hour I look with confidence. Oh that I could be near you at the 
present time. The active scenes in which you are engaged, n)ust of 
course, be some relief to your depressed spirits ; besides, the fortitude you 
possess, I trust, will support you in every situation ; and should Heaven 
in Mercy (at my confinement) remove me, enable you to do your duty to 
your dear children, and soon reconcile you to a separation from your most 
miserable Wife. Arriet Van Rensselaer. 

Colonel Solomon Van Eensselaer, Lewiston. 

Previous to the departure for the frontier, on May 29, a promising 
youth of about six years of age, named Van Vechten, sou of Colonel 
So'omon Van Rensselaer, being in company with an elder brother in a 
field near the dwelling house of their father at Mount Hope, in the town 
of Bethlehem, was shot through the head and almost instantly expired. 
A shot was heard as from a musket, and the unfortunate youth immedi- 
ately fell, having received the contents of the musket through the ear 
into the brain. 

Immediately after a man was observed with a musket, who in great 
haste traversed the clear field, and ran into an adjouning wood. It was 
the work of an insane man, and that reckless act left a sad void in the 
hearts of those loving parents, and in that once happy home. This 
seemed the climax to repeated trials very hard to pass through without a 
murmur; strong faith in Jesus triumphed over all these seeming ills, and 
neither of those afl3icted parents ever flagged in the path of duty. 

Major Lovctt to Joseph Alexander. 
Dear Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 6 Sept. 1812. 

Having been up nearly all night in preparing Dispatches for Swan's 
returning, I have no opportunity to write you anything more than that we 
are living in dews, raius and cold. I have got hardened almost to the 
hide, muscles and houghs of an ox, and am in perfect health, tho' our 
tent lad kicked the Bucket last night. Our situation is becoming, daily, 
more and more intercstivy to say the least of it. I do not know that I 
ousht, yet, to call it critical: though I know that some think it so. 
What may be the views of the Enemy we know not, they are flushed with 
victory, and concentrating their forces very fast against us. The Armistice 
will be terminated by our notice at Noon on the 8th Inst. To sum all 
up in one, I should say that from present appearances, we must either 
fio^ht or run, or both in a few days. This camp, which is within half 
point blank shot of the enemy, we shall quit to-morrow morning, the 
order is given to strike Tents at Reveille. We shall not quit the neigh- 
borhood ; but seek a safer place. Things look rather squally all around 
just at present, but it may clear off again. There are some pretty strong 
reasons to believe that Brock is preparing tcT Hull us. I don't know but 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 229 

lie may, but Albany blood runs pretty steady yet. We have removed 
most of the stores from Fort Niagara, and are throwing up a Battery on 
this side in which we mean to place 4 Eighteen Pounders. 

The Enemy are extending their works at Fort George ; and I under- 
stand as the light increases, that our soldiers discover some new works 
began last night opposite to us here. 

My General is well, firm, brave, and prudent. Solomon woitld&ght all 
the while if he could get chances, and I rather expect he will soon get 
enough of it. Col. Fenwick with the Cannon and stores have arrived 
safe. We worked John Bull in the little Armistice treaty and got more 
than they expected. 

Glory to the Constitution and her Crew for the Battle. [" The Frigate 
Guerriere has been captured and sunk by the U. S. Frigate, Constitution, 
Capt. Hull."] 

i)id you ever live in a Tent ? How nice, and cool they are towards 
day, when you begin to draw up your legs : or as we Soldiers would say 
" Call in your OuT Posts ! " 

We have a curious old Quiz of a Chaplain but I remember this part of 
his prayer ; " In the arms of faith and love we desire to bear before thee, 
God, our wives and dear little ones whom we have left at home : pre- 
serve them, and in thine own due time restore us to them. But if thou 
hast determined in thy holy providence that any of us shall meet them 
no more, in this world, ! may we meet them above in thy great family." 
Now this was well said and we all felt it. Don't, Don't forget my Wife 
and Children, nor suffer them to be lonely. Keep their spirits up. It 
was right that I came, it is right that I stay. When I write you again I 
hope to give a better account, moving a Camp is always perplexing. 
Only one solitary letter have I received, don't you write, or do the rascals 
rob me ? Yours very truly, 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. John Lovett. 

John Lovett to Abraham Van Vechten. 

My Dear Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston Sept. 8, 1812. 

Colonel Van Rensselaer has been with General Wadsworth the whole 
day at Niagara, and I have been on the jump from dawn of day to this 
5 P. M. Brock has returned from York to Fort George and the Enemy 
are certainly very active, but wliether they contemplate defensive or offens- 
ive measures it is impossible to say. It would seem that in our situation 
we might withiacility obtain information of the enemy's force and move- 
ments. Not so. Not a soul will risk his neck from this side among them, 
and those who come over are such Scamps, no trust. We have moved 
our Camp from the River to the Ridge Road. In short, the enemy hav- 
ing put Hull out of the way, have it in their power to turn their whole 
force against us. Our poor fellows are patient, patriotic and exceedingly 
attached to their General ; they swear He can't be bribed, and to tell you 
the real truth, this Conjidence is all that saves us from every sort of dis- 
grace. We are calm, self-collected, and determined to act as near Right 
as we can. But God only knows how we shall come out. A great fever 
is coming on, I understand, but no pay, no shoes, no any thing. 

The General has gone to have a Talk with the Tuscarora Tribe this 
afternoon. The Armistice terminate:l at 12 o'clock, and no movement is 
made. We are all well. Don't be alarmed. We shall never disi^race our- 



230 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

selves, Albany or our Country. Don't let my Wife get alarmed, I shall 
eat my New Year's Dinner with her if she is not starved out. 

Yours truly, 
Abraham Van Vechten, Esq., Albany. John Lovett. 

Hon. Ahraliam Van Vechten to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany September 10, 1812. 

I saw Harriet on Sunday. She & Adaline dined with us. Sanders 
says the family are all in good health. Harriet will write you. The 
depression of her Spirits is not removed, tho' I trust considerably allevi- 
ated. Her fortitude does not fail her, and her avocations occupy every 
moment of her time. She wishes you to send me a line for Rensselaer. 
Your Situation is I fear critical. At least so we apprehend here. But 
it is attributed to the true cause, and the result, if disastrous, will be charged 
to the acct. of those who ought to answer for it. Remember my Friend 
that the honor of a Soldier is not to be maintained in battle only. Sound 
discretion is an essential part of true valor ; when more real good is to be 
attained by a timely & safe retreat than by fighting, every consideration of 
military duty requires that the former course should be adopted. Beware 
of being HuU'd is the admonition of all your Friends, but I add, do not 
forget that an unequal & disadvantageous conflict may involve equal dis- 
grace, because it may draw upon you the imputation of rashness. Should 
it eventuate in a severe defeat the consequences will be more extensively 
calamitous. Your troops want every thing, except I hope personal Cour- 
age, to cope with the force amassing against you, want of discipline will 
make a defeat dreadful, because it cuts off every hope of rallying. We 
have no news beyond what the papers which the bearer takes and 
my letters to Lovett contain. Yours Sincerely. 

Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, Head Quarters Lewiston. 

Capt. I. Whistler to Oeu. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, Presque Isle 11th Sept., 1812. 

On the 8th inst., I arrived at this place with my family, myself in a 
bad state of health, at present I feel much better and tomorrow shall pro- 
ceed on my journey for Pittsburgh. Please accept of my warmest thanks 
for the civilities I have received from you. On my arrival at Black Rock 
I made application to Genl. Porter for a wagon ; he made every efi"ort 
to procure me one but failed. He then sent the same one you sent with 
me; and I must confess the driver is the best man I had ever known in 
the public service, a humane man, he treated my family with every attention, 
he left here on his return on the ninth. This moment I have seen a letter 
from Genl. Wadsworth of the State of Ohio to Genl. Keler of this Post, 
in which he mentioned the capture of Fort Dearborn at Chigkaga, and 
nearly all the Garrison put to the sword, and the enemy are now erecting 
a Garrison at the rapids of the Miamy, and a large Force of Indians are 
on their way against Fort Wayne and Viucennes in great expectation of 
success. 

The enemy have left four of the 24 Pounders at Maiden ; the other 5 
24 pounders they have shippped to Fort George this is all the News I have 



Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings. 231 

at present to communicate, the lattei' I expect you ought to be made ac- 
quainted with. I think from the large body of Indians which have gone 
to Fort Wayne, you have nothing to fear as to Indians. My best respects 
to the Colonel and all the Gentlemen of your Army & believe me &c. &c. 

J. Whistler. 

Capt. Whistler was an old revolutionary officer, was taken with Gen. 
Hull, paroled, landed with wife and six children at Fort Niagara. Gen. V. 
E,. sent a public wagon with him to Black Rock he was bound for Pitts- 
burg. 

Col. Van Rensselaer to General Lewis — Gloomy State of affairs at Lewiston. 
My dear Sir, Head Quarters Sept 11, 1812. 

To you I am fully persuaded I can write with Confidence on the State 
of affairs in this quarter, and if you think the Interest of the Service will 
be promoted by a disclosure of my name, you are at liberty to make any 
use of it you please, whatever inconvenience it may put me to, for I 
Shall State Facts and those only. 

Since the Surrender of General Hull, it has been the Study of John C. 
Spencer, Col. Brooks, Q. Mr. General Porter and Several others to cause 
confusion and distrust among the Troops on this E'rontier to answer party 
purposes against the Commander. They have so far succeeded in the Camp 
and the Country, that in the former it is only whispered, but in the Latter 
it is openly said, that Gen. Van Rensselaer is a traitor to his Country and 
the Surrender of the Army when it crosses the River is the price of his 
Infamy. Honest and Honorable men must regret this depravity in human 
nature ; those scoundrels know better, and you and I know that a more 
Honest man does not exist; and one who has the Interest of his Country 
more at heart. But with all his amiable qualities, his usefulness here in 
my opinion is destroyed ; by this unjust and unwarrantable jealousy. He 
cannot enforce that Subordination which is so necessary to the safety and 
glory of the Troops he Commands. If Geo. Armstrong or any other man 
of the same politics with the Government did Command here, this difficulty 
would be Removed ; there is a field of glory in view for any man of Ambi- 
tion, which Gen. V. R. as well as myself would regret to forego, if Necessity 
did not Compel us, it would be well if Gen. Dearborn could with propriety 
remove him to New York or some other place, where his services may be 
equal to his Sacrifices in private life. We are Encamped at this place 
with two Regiments of Militia, to guard the most important pass on the 
river. Col. Fenwick with the Regular troops in and about Fort Niagara. 
Col. Blooms, lately come on, at Niagara Falls and Col. Swifts at Black Rock. 

The whole effective force of Militia including Officers you will find by 
the within return amounts to 1633 fit for duty. We are in want of almost 
every thing. Our Quarter Master Peter B. Porter is speculating and at- 
tending to mischief and his private affairs ; he speaks in very disrespect- 
ful terms of Mr. Madison, and trys to impress on the minds of the people 
the necessity of a change of men. But notwithstanding these discourag- 
ing prospects, we shall do what men under these Circumstances can. A 
strong Battery has been thrown up a mile above Fort Niagara, and imme- 
diately opposite Fort George, in which the four heavy cannon have been 
placed, and contrary to the opinion of Col. Fenwick when he first came 
on, we will attempt to maintain the Fort which will be all important to 
our future operations. The roof has been taken I'rom a large stone house 
and on the third floor two twelve pounders and a howitzer placed. This 



232 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

battery Commands Fort George and four Batteries in its vicinity ; and if 
a parapet of earth well rammed, on the inside of the two aud half feet stone 
wall was thrown up, it might bid defiance to the enemy, but unfortunately 
Col. Fenwick and Capt. Leonard are too much addicted to liquor to attend 
to this duty as they should, and if they were removed from this Command, 
it would give rise to much greater dissentions. Besides we have no one 
as fit for this all important service as Col. Fenwick, if he was at all times 
himself. Last Tuesday at 12 o'clock the Armistice ceased, on which, we 
supposed that the enemy would open their Batteries of at least fifty pieces 
on our lines. Gen. Van Rensselaer continued here in order to move the 
Troops to any point that might be attacked, while I went to the Garrison 
below. I found on my arrival all in confusion. I immediately ordered a 
strong detachment to clear a Battery in the Stone house, while others were 
dismounting the two twelves and a Howitzer, and getting them on the 
platform, to the Command of which Capt. Leonard's Company was assigned. 
The two Block houses, in each of which are Six pounders, Capt. McKeon's 
Company was to Defend. All this was accomplished by twelve, at that 
Lour our works, as well as the British, were manned, the Matches burn- 
ing and I expected every moment to see the Rafters of the old mess-house 
knocked about my head, and I was disappointed and we have been ever 
since in peace but preparing, with little trouble to make it as strong as any 
work can be, and ready for action. I inclose the last Buffalo paper. 
I have the honor to be Respectfully Yours, 
Major Gen. Morgan Lewis. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Major Cuyler to Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Sir, Buffalo 16th Sept., 1812. 

I enclose you a return of the Ordnance, &c. at Buffalo agreeable to 
Major Gen. Van Rensselaer's request by Lt. Gansevoort ; immediately 
on the receipt of which, I waited on Genl. Porter and requested a return 
from him of the Ordnance at the Rock, Equipage, fixed & unfixed am- 
munition which he promised to make me last night ; failing so to do, I 
this morning addressed a Note to him & sent my Servant, who finding he 
had left the Rock for Lewiston, rode on & overtook him & delv'd my note. 
I have not been furnished with a Return from him. I beg you to assure 
Genl. Van Rensselaer, that as speedily as possible after I am furnished 
with an account of what was required, I shall lose no time in making a 
Return to him. Lt. Gansevoort will inform you of some alarms we have 
had; my General will communicate to yours. We send you three Pri- 
soners from the Queen Charlotte who we have reason to expect have come 
over with improper views. Lt. Gansevoort has charge of them, & will of 
course take them to Head Quarters. In all things depend upon my most 
prompt and cordial Co-operation, I am not yet enabled to make a return 
of the force at the Rock & this place owing to the irregularity of Returns 
made to me which I am endeavouring to correct as speedily as possible. 
It shall be made as soon as possible. Your obedt. Servt. 




^^ii^ .^£^ff^ 



Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 233 



Oen. Brock to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Fort George 16th Sept. 1H12. 

I have the honor to transmit an Extract ' of a letter which I have this 
moruiug received from Captain Dyson of the United States Regiment of 
Artillery. The Prisoners of War under his charge are in such a deplora- 
ble state for want of clothing, that I am led to hope no difficulty will be 
made to their receiving from Fort Niagara the necessaries they consider 
as their property. 

The number of Women and Children who have accompanied the Detach- 
ment from Detroit is so great that it will be necessary to land them on 
the opposite shore, where they cannot fail meeting with that protectioa 
and support their distressed situation requires, but which existing cir- 
cumstances prevent being aiforded to them on this side. 

I have the honor &c., With the highest respect, 

Major General Van Rensselaer. 

Extract of a Letter from Oen. Van Rensselaer to Gen Dearborn. 

Head Quarters, Lewiston, 17th Sept. 1812. 
The situation of my little army is becoming every day more and more 
interesting, and I believe existing circumstances would fully warrant me 
in saying critical. As soon as our operations at and near Fort Niagara 
indicated a disposition to maintain the garrison, the enemy became ex- 
ceedingly active. New works were thrown up, and old ones modified to 
meet us at every point. The works appear now to be all completed, and 
they are daily receiving very considerable reinforcements of men. Last 
evening, the Royal George arrived at Fort George, with about two hun- 
dred artillerists. About one hundred boats, loaded with stores for the 
British army in Upper Canada, have lately passed up the St. Lawrence. 
Two regiments of troops are also on their way up, and I am induced to 
believe that those lately arrived at Fort George, are detachments from 
those regiments. The information which you had received on the subject 
of the enemy's reinforcements and destination, was undoubtedly correct. 
Troops are also coming down from Fort Maiden to Fort Erie. Indeed 
there can be no possible doubt, that the enemy are very actively engaged 
in concentrating their Ibrces to act in this vicinity. When the scene of 
action will open, I know not; it probably cannot be far distant. Such 
movements of the enemy have been observed for three or four days past, 
as have induced many to believe that the hour of attack was at hand. 
On the 13th instant, boats were engaged in putting a considerable de- 

^ Extract alluded to, of Capt. Dyson's letter : " Permit me Sir, to mention to you 
the situation of the Prisoners under my command. They have received no cloth- 
ing from the Government since last October, and are almost destitute of every 
article of the kind. I understand there are sis Casks of Clothing, an Invoice of 
which I have in my possession, and was destined for Detroit for my Company, are 
now lying at Fort Niagara. If there could be any arrangement between the two 
governments, so as to get them across, it would relieve the sufferiufif Prisoners 
much. I also take the liberty to ni(!uti(jn there are several men anionic them old, 
infirm, and unfit for any kind of Military service ; and some with large families 
of children. If they could obtain a i)ar()le to go to the States, it would be a great 
relief to them. I have the honor to be &c. Sic. 

Saml. T. Dyson, 

VajU. U. IS. Reg. Artil. 

30 



234 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

tachnient of troops on board a ship, which, at evening, got under way 
from Fort George and stood out into Lake Ontario. 

It was apprehended that these troops were, that night, to be landed on 
the south side of the hike, in the rear of our guards. The night before 
last, the enemy moved some boats from the landing at Queenstown, down 
the river. This excited alarm, and late last night a rumour ran through 
the camp, that the garrison was actuallysummoned to surrender. I only men- 
tion these things to show you what apprehensions prevail. Should the enemy 
attack, I have every reason to believe we shall be very severely pressed; 
but so serious will be the consequences of any retrograde movement, or a 
total abandonment of Fort Niagara, that, upon mature consideration of all 
circumstances, I have determined to hold, if possible, my present position, 
and dispute every inch of ground. My force bears no proportion to the 
duties required ; besides, the discipline of the troops is not such as to 
warrant perfect reliance, and many of our arms are not fit for action. 
These are considerations which you, sir, and my fellow citizens will do me 
the justice to bear in mind, whatever result may happen. 

For the application of the means entrusted to me, I hope I shall be able 
to justify myself to my country. My greatest fear is, that the troops 
destined to reinforce me, will not join me in season. In every calculation 
heretofore made upon my reinforcements, both as to time and strength, I 
have been disappointed. Col. Bloom's regiment, which was reported to 
me before its arrival, for seven hundred, is but little more than four hun- 
dred. I am erecting a store-house and a magazine upon the high grounds, 
in the rear of my camp; but for want of teams, tools, and nails, the 
work proceeds but slowly ; we build with logs, and rive our shingles from 
bolts of oak. It is with extreme difficulty we can procure teams upon any 
emergency. The horses of the cavalry and flying artillery are badly sup- 
plied with hay, and as for grain they are almost entirely destitute. I have 
completed the road though the woods, from my camp to the garrison. 
Amidst all our difficulties, this is the most cheering day for the troops 
which I have witnessed, their clamor for pay has been high and incessant. 
I felt many of its bad consequences, and apprehend still greater, but as- 
surances now received that their pay is near seems to elate them. 

By the Return of Ordnance which I yesterday received from Fort 
Niagara I discover that our two Mortars are lOJ inches, instead of 13^ as 
Capt. Leonard's Memorandum to me states them, the Shells will be cal- 
culated accordingly. I have enclosed a copy of a letter which I last night 
received from General Hull. On the same subject I yesterday received a 
communication from General Brock, covering an Extract of a letter from 
Capt. Dyson of the United States Regiment of Artillery to him, and 1 
this morning sent Col. Van Rensselaer to Fort George when he had an 
interview with Capt. Dyson and such arrangements have been made that 
Capt. Dyson's Company will this day receive their clothing from Fort 
Niagara : the other Companies, in Quebec, I learn from General Brock's 
letter, are in great distress for want of clothing. 

I have the Honor, &c. 

Major General Dearborn. 

'' And, to cheer up our hearts, we have picked up a Birch Bark, on 
which is written a Notice from the Soldiers to the Officers of this little 
army that unless they were paid^ they would absolutely quit the field in 8 
days from that time." 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 235 

Col. Fenicick to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Fort Niagara, Sept. 18, 1812. 

Yesterday afternoon was Sent over in a Flag eleven Women and nine- 
teen Children, their Situation is a distressing one, there is also a Fifer of 
the 1st. U. S. Infantry, he brings from Geu. Brock no Pass or Certificate. 
I know not in what light to view them. I beg your Instructions respect- 
ing these People, I don't think it prudent to leave them here. Your 
order revoking the Sentence upon the two unfortunate Criminals has 
been carried into Effect, the Scene was affecting, and I flutter myself will 
be attended with Beneficial Consequences. No occurrence of Moment has 
happened Since I last wrote you. I beg you to order a General Court 
Martial, we have four or five deserters. 

Accept Sir, the assurance of my Esteem and Consideration. 

Major Genl. Van llensselaer. John R. Fenwick, U. Col. 

The two criminals mentioned above -^Qve. .deserters, and having been 
found guilty by the court martial, were sentenced to be " shot to death 
on the grand parade at Fort Niagara on Friday the eighteenth instant, 
at ten o'clock in the forenoon of that day. On this solemn occasion all 
the Troops not on duty will be drawn up to witness the execution. And 
the major general hopes that this awful example will be a warning to 
others and, in future prevent desertions from that service to which their 
oaths if not their love of country should bind them." 

A petition for the pardon of Reuben Schuyler and Thomas Moore, 
sentenced by the general order of the 9th instant was sent to the major 
general by the " ofiicers of the United States army at Fort Niagara" to 
request the consideration of the general and to recommend them as fit 
subjects for mercy. 

General Orders. 

Head Quarters, Lewiston, 17th Sept., 1812. 

Major General Van Rensselaer revokes the sentence of death pronounced 
against Reuben Schui/ler and Thomas Moore, by the Court Martial whereof 
Captain Leonard was President, and by General Orders of the Ninth 
instant directed to be carried into execution on the Eighteenth instant at 
Fort Niagara. 

This act of clemency of the Major General, in declaring the fall and 
absolute pardon of those unfortunate men, it is hoped will make a lasting 
impression on their future conduct in life and that they will still show by 
their good behaviour that they are worthy of a life which they had for- 
feited to their Country and their God. But let it not be presumed that 
this first act of lenity in the Major General will be extended to others : 
He is under obligations of duty to his Country, and with these his feelings, 
as a man, shall not interpose. 

The Prisoners will be released and returned to their duty. 

By Order of Major General Van Rensselaer, 
Sol. Van Rensselaer, Aid de Camp. 

The decision of General Van Rensselaer in these occurrences com- 
ported with justice and humanity. He was well aware that such terrible 
examples are often necessary in all well regulated armies and from a 
regard to the good of the service, in which they were engaged, it would 
not answer, often, to impede punishment. 



236 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



Major General Van Rensselaer to Ids Excellency Gov. Tom^ykins. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 17th Sept., 1812. 

I have the honour to acknowledire the receipt of your packet by Major 
Noon, who arrived in camp hist evening. The duties of the day are too 
pressing to allow me the leisure I could wish, to answer your letter par- 
ticularly. I must, therefore, beg leave to refer your Excellency to my 
despatch of this date to Major General Dearborn. I cannot, however, 
but express the satisfaction 1 feel at the approbation, which my conduct 
thus far in the campaign has received. To perform my duty, arduous as 
it is, is comparatively easy, but to determine what my duty is, in a wide 
field for action, where everything is unshaped and uncertain, is often a 
task of no small difficulty; I am conscious to myself that I have studied 
it faithfully, and performed to the best of my ability. My situation is 
growing every hour more interesting, perhaps critical. The particulars 
you will find in my letter to Gen. Dearborn ; but with my little force I 
shall certainly attempt to hold my position, with full reliance upon your 
Excellency's assurances, that every eff'ort will be made to support me. 
A retrograde movement of this army upon the hack of that disaster which 
has hef alien the one at Detroit, would stamp a stigma upon the nationcd 
character ichich time coidd never wipe away. I shall therefore try to hold 
out against superior force and every disadvantage, until I shall be rein- 
forced. I am happy to learn that the money to pay off" the troops is at 
hand. The information cheers our camp. I announced it in orders this 
morning; I hope they will soon realize their expectations, for in truth 
their wants are many. I have the honour, &c. 

His Excellency Governor Tompkins. 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 
Dear Alexander, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 22d Sept., 1812. 

I have lately received two letters from you, and thank you kindly for 
them : in our situation, letters from friends, come like the cooling stream 
to a famishing Pilgrim in a desert of sand. General Van Rensselaer is 
well aware of the critical situation he is in : it has been announced to him 
from all quarters; from the highest to the lowest authority: he sees it, 
feels it every hour. But, after all, having taken into consideration the 
incalculable consequences which must result from falling back from his 
present position, he has determined to risk events. In the last general 
deliberation which was had upon the subject, he sat and heard all that was 
said, then rising up he said " No.^ what will the world think we are made 
of? No : Til DIE before Til quit this ground, and there's no more to he 
said about it." And there has been no more said about it. The enemy 
appear to be in a state of preparedness to give, or receive an attack. 
Every day or two they make some movement which indicates dispositions 
to attack us immediately. Night before last every ship they have on Lake 
Ontario came into the mouth of Niagara Eiver, then, to be sure, we 
thought it time to look out for breakers. But yesterday when Col. Van 
Rensselaer went over with a Flag to Fort George, there was not a Ship 
in sight, nor a General Officer there, where gone, we know not. Not- 
withstanding the most positive orders on both sides, our Sentinels have 
kept up almost a constant warfare for a month past. On the Bank of the 
River Musket Balls are about as thick as Whippowills in a summer's 
evening. A wretch fired the other evening, at Judge Barten and myself 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 237 

as we were setting upon our horses on the bank ; the shot came in a cor- 
rect line but fell 20 rods short, in the River. Last Saturday morning one 
of our lads returned the Compliment : and put his ball so quick thro' a 
lad's head on the other side that he fell dead without even winking. Over 
came Lieut Col. Myers with whom [ had the honor of an hour's confe- 
rence on the bank, both talked it largely and returned good fellows. In 
short we are all fire and powder on both sides the River, and every day 
that passes without blood seems to me more and more strange. We have 
made the best possible dispositions of the force we have to meet an attack, 
if it comes, I am very certain there will be some old fashioned fighting, 
we can't help it; for in truth, we can't run away without fighting aad I 
believe this is the best way to post an army of raw Troops. It is now 
about eleven days we have lain in this situation. It has become as much 
a matter of course to fix my papers and prime my Pistols when I go to 
bed, as it is to pull off my Boots. 

And after all, I cannot tell whether they unll attack us or not; but if 
they do not they are certainly governed by some considerations of policy 
which they may consider of more importance than cutting up a little 2,000 
Army. Time must determine. We are promised reinforcements by com- 
panies. Battalions, Regiments, Brigades, and I might almost say Armies ; 
but not a single man has joined us in some weeks. Besides, our men 
here are getting down very fast within three or four days. This morning 
Report of Sick was 149. We have lately had the most tremendous storm 
of cold rains and wind that I ever saw at this season of the year, it was 
eno' to make an Ox quake. The wind was terrible, hail, lightening, 
thunder and the whole army of terrors seemed pressed into requisition. 
Many tents blew up and over ; the General's Marquee was deluged, bed 
and all drenched. My Tent hooks gave away; I jumped out of my 
Blanket, in quick time, to save my papers stood in my shirt-tail for half 
an hour, holding the sides together, until I had not a dry thread to brag 
of; and when I went to my Blankets, they were as wet as myself, how- 
ever, I made the best of them thro' the night. 0, the glorious life, and 
the innumerable comforts of Soldiers ! 

Give Mrs. Lovett the enclosed, it contains an impression of General 
Brock's Seal, with his most appropriate Motto, " Re who guards, never 
Sleeps." The Campaign will wind up with some vei-y interesting occur- 
rences, I think, I begin to see how the crisis is forming. We shall invade 
Canada. Come what may you may be assured we shall not disgrace 
Albany. Do write often. I entirely agree in opinion with Gen. V, R. 
who on reading your last letter made this observation, " He writes more 
like a Gentleman than any of them" and added " I had no idea he was 
such a man !" there's for ye : and no man knows better, or more highly 
appreciates the character of a true bred Gentleman than that same General, 
I had no idea of his perfect finish in Etiquette. 

I am your friend, 

John Lovett. 



238 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



CHAPTER XL 

Battle on Queenston Heights. 

Col. Marinus Willef to Maj. Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, New York, 25th Sept., 1812. 

I should before this have offered my services to you, had I not been 
apprehensive that the infirmities of age, which cause me to fear I might 
be burdensome, prevented me ; but tho' I cannot enjoy that satisfaction, I 
trust you will not be displeased with my addressing you with a few ob- 
servations on the subject of Indian warfare. In the summer of the year 
1763, soon after the disbanding of the army, General Washington visited 
the frontiers of our State : on this occasion I accompanied him ; and as 
we were traveling along the Mohawk River, the devastations that had 
taken place there introduced the subject of Indian Warfare. I signified 
to the General my disapproval of the Virgiuia mode of fighting Indians 
by the men taking to trees, and fighting the Indians in their own way, 
which would continue for a number of hours, with no great advantage 
on either side. It was remarked that the Indians, who were generally 
furious in their onset, depended much on the noise of their Yells to strike 
a terror which not unfrequent, had the intended effect and caused their 
enemy to run, when they usually made great havock. In their mode of 
fighting they extend their line to great lengths, and endeavour to surround 
their foes : the noise, which by this means appears from different quarters, 
generally occasions surprise, and sometimes terror ; either of which is easily 
prevented : a vigilant and smart officer can effect it in an instant. He is 
with rapidity to place himself conspicuously in front ; off with his hat, 
wave it around his head, and order his men to rush among the Indians with 
loud and repeated huzzas. The Indians, who have no compactness to op- 
pose to such force, and losing the noise of their yells, by the superior 
noise of the huzzas, are sure to set running; when, by having some good 
marksmen, you may hit some of them; But tho' I never found it difficult 
to drive them, I could not kill many ; for it is not often that a fair shot 
can be had at them. They will, however, after, having been driven from 
one position, generally, take another ; aud tho' they may not pursue the 
same course they did in their first onset, by commencing a fresh fire at 
considerable distance, they will be constantly taking off men, unless the 
same mode of driving them is pursued. 

I have been fighting Indians when they were vastly superior to me in 
numbers ; and have been obliged to pursue this mode of driving them 
from one position to another for four or five miles. I always found them 
dexterous in taking positions, but experienced little difficulty in driving 
them. The officer who commands the troops engaged with Indians, must 
be smart, active and brave ; and it is proper always to have covering 
parties, under the direction of a steady, firm man : but the officer who 
leads the troops to attack ought to possess a great deal of fire ; every 
thing depends on his activity, vigilance and courage. There is nothing 
can discover greater weakness, or folly than to run from Indians : it is 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 239 

almost certain death : but to face, and run in upon them is the sure means 
of beating and overcoming them : for, tho' they have agility and dexterity, 
they are by no means equal iu strength to our soldiers. But it is not, 
my dear Sir, in fighting Indians, only, that I have experienced the ad- 
vantage of a bold charge upon the enemy. I have tried it, several times 
with British troops, as well as with Indians ; and it uniformly succeeded. 
Soldiers must be taught to look their enemies in the face, they should be 
brought into action as often as possible. Soldiers must be taught to 
fight, a few good ofiicers can do a great deal, the road to danger is the 
road to honor for a soldier. It is important that such ideas as these be 
instilled into young officers, as well as the necessity of their being re- 
conciled to fatigue, and deprivations. 

That you may go on, iu a course of glory to yourself, and advantage to 
your country is the ardent wish of 

Dear Sir, Your very obedient Servant. 

Major General Van Rensselaer. M. Willett, Lt. Col. 

" Colonel Willett joined the army under Abercrombie as a lieutenant in 
1758. He was in the disastrous battle at Ticonderoga, and accompained 
Broadstreet in his expedition against Fort Frontenac. Willett early 
espoused the republican cause when British aggression aroused resistance 
here. W^hen the British troops in the New York garrison were ordered 
to Boston, after the skirmish at Lexington, they attempted in addition 
to their own, to carry off a large quantity of spare arms. Willett captured 
the wagons and took them back. He died Aug., 1830, aged 91 years." 

Brigadier Gen. Alexander Smyth to Major Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Buffalo, 29th September, 1812. 

I have been ordered by Major General Dearborn to Niagara, to take 
command of a brigade of the U. S. troops; and directed, on my arrival 
in the vicinity of your quarters, to report myself to you which I now do. 
I intended to have reported myself personally; but the conclusions I 
have drawn as to the interests of the service, have determined me to stop 
at this place for the present. From the description I have had of the 
river below the falls, the view of the shore below Fort Erie, and the in- 
formation received as to the preparations of the enemy, I am of opinion 
that our crossing should be effected between Fort Erie and Chippewa. 
It has therefore, seemed to me proper to encamp the U. S. troops near 
Buffalo, there to prepare for offensive operations. Your instructions, or 
better information, may decide you to give me different orders, which I 
will await. I have the honour. 

Major General Van llensselaer. 

" This letter was offensive, first, because the subordinate officer not 
only failed to report himself in person, as he was bound in duty to do, 
but assumed perfect independence by choosing his own theatre of action ; 
and secondly, because the writer, an entire stranger to the country, just 
arrived, went out of his way to obtrude advice upon his commanding 
general touching movements and localities of which he knew nothing, 
when he knew that the general had been there for weeks, and was ne- 
cessarily familiar with every rood of the ground and every disposition of 
the enemy. The cause of Gen. Smyth's presumptuous conduct on this 
occasion, as well as his subsequent evasive behavior, is merely a matter 



240 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

of conjecture. It might have proceeded from disappointment in not ob- 
taining full command on this frontier, or it might have been because his 
fastidiousness could not be reconciled to the idea of being under the com- 
mand of a militia general. Be it as it may, he was highly censured by 
all who were aware of his conduct. The season was now rapidly drawing 
to a close, and as Gen. V. R. was urged by his instructions to effect 
soiuething decisive before he went into winter quarters, his situation 
was one of extreme delicacy. He did not wish to be drawn from the 
object he had in view by a controversy with Gen. Smyth, particularly so, 
as he knew that the forces which by this time had collected in his own 
immediate vicinity, were amply sufficient for his purpose. Gen. Van 
Rensselaer, however, true gentleman as he was, quietly rebuked the im- 
pertinence " of Gen. Smyth in the following letter : 

Major Oen. Van Rensselaer to Brigadier Oen. Alexander Smyth. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 30th Sept., 1812. 

On my return, this moment, from Niagara, I received your letter of 
yesterday, advising me of your arrival at Buffalo, and the encampment, 
there, of the United States troops, in consequence of the conclusions you 
have drawn that offensive operations against Upper Canada ought to be 
attempted between Fort Erie and Chippewa. Nothing could be more 
unpleasant to me than a difference of opinion as to thep/flce of commenc- 
ing those operation in which our own characters, the fate of the army, 
and the deepest interests of our country are concerned. But, however 
willing I may be, as a citizen soldier, to surrender my opinion to a pro- 
fessional one, I can only make such surrender to an opinion deliberately 
formed upon a view of the whole ground. * * * Yov many years, I have 
had a general knowledge of the banks of Niagara river, and of the adjacent 
country on the Canada shore. I have now, attentively explored the 
American side with the view of military operations ; combining at the 
same time, a great variety of circumstances and considerations intimately 
connected, in my opinion, with our object. So various are the opinions, 
and such the influence of personal and local interests in this vicinity, that 
many circumstances are to be carefully balanced before any correct con- 
clusions can be drawn. My decision has been made with due regard to 
all these things, and to the important consequences connected with it. 
All my past measures have been calculated for one point ; and I now only 
wait for a competent force ; as the season of the year and every considera- 
tion urges me to act with promptness, I cannot hastily listen to a change 
of position, necessarily connected with a new system of measures, and the 
very great inconvenience of the troops. I will not say that no considerations 
shall induce me to change my plans of operation, but to this I cannot 
yield, without very weighty reasons ; conclusions drawn, at least, from an 
attentive examination of the banks of the Niagara river, and all other cir- 
cumstances connected with a successful result of the campaign. 

I hope soon to have the pleasure of seeing you here ; and perhaps after 
conference and thorough examination of the river and country, your 
opinion and mine, as to the plans of operations may coincide. I trust we 
are both open to conviction, and we have but one object, the best interest 
of the service. I am, sir, with consideration and respect &c. 

Brigadier Gen. Alexander Smyth of the United States forces, Buffalo. 

Gen. Alexander Smyth, the second in command, was not willing to 
obey a leading federalist, his manner was offensive to the utmost limit, so 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 241 

that Gen. Van Rensselaer became disgusted with the jealousies of some 
of the regular officers, and the insubordination of the militia. This dis- 
quieting party feeling was carried to the extreme length by his opposers, 
greatly to the detriment of his usefulness as an officer. Gen. Smyth, 
though very dogmatical and pompous, yet his designs were suppo.sed to 
be patriotic; but his ardor obscured his judgment, making him more in- 
discreet than culpable. Gen. Van Rensselaer had expected to meet his 
principal officers in a council of war, but Gen. Smyth was so dilatory that 
many were of opinion that coercive measures should be resorted to, to 
bring him to a sense of his duty ; and perhaps if General V. R. is cen- 
surable for any sin of omission while on the frontier, it is for not pursuing 
this course. 

Gen. V. R. had written to General Dearborn and explained to him the 
plan which he intended to have submitted to the council in question, 
and the objects he expected to gain if carried out, and now waited for the 
council to meet. 

Major Oen. Van Rensselaer to Colonel Willett. 

Dear Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston Oct. 3, 1812. 

In due course of the mail I have been favored with your very kind 
and seasonable letter of the 25th ulto. For your personal friendship ex- 
pressed to me, as well as for the valuable instructions furnished for the 
service, I beg leave to tender you my cordial thanks. In a crisis like the 
present, when we are called, again, to meet our enemies in the field, no 
one more sincerely than myself can regret that the infirmities usually at- 
tending the age to which you have arrived (73 years), should deprive 
our Country of that invaluable store of practical military knowledge which 
you have acquired in a long and honorable course of service. 

Nothing is more certain than that the strength of a State greatly consists 
in the personal bravery, and Military knowledge of its citizens. A national 
character founded on such basis becomes terrible to surrounding foes, and 
often has the happiest effects in preventing wars. Such was the proud 
character of Americans at the close of the Revolutionary War and the 
value of it could not be told. Among the Nations of Europe war is a 
trade : its system reduced to a science ; and the library of the Soldiers is 
stored with volumes of instructions drawn from long experience. But, 
whenever the rules and maxims of Military operations sanctioned in Eu- 
rope, have been applied to warfare with Savages in America, slaughter 
and defeat have usually been the unfortunate result. As war with Indi- 
ans is of a specific kind, reduced to system among the Tribes who know 
not letters, it is preserved only by tradition among themselves; and those 
who acquire a knowledge of it, must gain it, as you have, by long and 
careful experience. This consideration renders your wise experience of 
great value to your Country. 

I am perfectly satisfied that your whole system is correct : indeed my 
own reflections, which have been cast upon possible eontingences in this 
campaign, had suggested to me the general principle which you approve. 

You are certainly correct in saying that flight from an Indian is next to 
certain death. War with Savages imperiously demands throe things ; 
Vigilance to discover where they are, caution in approaching them : and 
when they are found instant dispatch to kill or rout them. 

I shall remember your counsel with gratitude and pleasure ; as a precious 
81 



242 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

legacy from a Soldier of great experience ; and should occasion call me to 
use it in this campaign, I shall adopt and practice your system as far as 
my ability, and the means I may command will enable me. 

I am, Dear Sir, with great respect and Consideration &c., 
Col. Marinus Willett. S. V. Rensselaer. 

During the investment of Fort Stanwix in August, 1777, by St Leger 
with a body of regulars, Indians, and tories, he was second in command. 
" Such was the impetuosity of Willett's movements, that Sir John Johnson 
and his regiment, who lay near the fort with his Indian allies, sought safety 
in flight. The amount of spoil found in the enemy's camp filled twenty 
wagon loads. For this brilliant exploit, congress voted him an elegant 
sword." 

General Van Rensselaer to Brigadier General Smyth. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 5th Oct.i, 1812. 

Believing that an early consultation of general officers, commandants of 
regiments, and corps on this frontier will promote the interest of the ser- 
vice, I have to request that you will be pleased to confer with Maj. Gen. 
Hall on the subject, and agree with him upon the earliest day possible, 
consistent with the business of the court martial, and other indispensable 
duties, when I can have the pleasure of seeing you at Fort Niagara for 
the purpose above proposed. Of the day agreed upon, you will please to 
give me early notice. I am, &c. 

P. S. I have written to Maj. Gen. Hall to the same purport. 

Brig. Gen. Smyth, of the U. S. forces. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Smyth. 

Sir, Head-Quarters, Lewiston, 6th Oct., 1812. 

Apprehending that my letter of yesterday, on the subject of the pro- 
posed conference at Niagara, may not have been sufficiently explicit, I 
deem it necessary to add, that my intention was, that Major General 
Hail, yourself, and the Commandants of the several regiments of the United 
States droops, should attend the conference. You will please to make the 
necessary communications to the gentlemen intended. 

Brigadier General Smyth, of the U. S. forces. ^ ^™' ^^^ 

" Although politely requested by Gen. V. R., several times, to name a 
day for a council of officers. Gen. Smyth neglected to do so. Day after 
day passed, and Smyth made no definite reply, could not tell the day." 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

Dear Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston Oct. 6, 1812. 

* * * * General Van Rensselaer is in good health, firm as Atlas, ac- 
tively engaged from dawn till dark, and often in the night. My health is 
perfect : but you may judge of my condition when I tell you that which 
no one but yourself and my wife must know : poor Solomon is sick. About 
two weeks ago he was seized pretty violently. He quit his Tent and went 
to a hut about half a mile from Camp, alter close attention of the Surgeon 
six or seven days, he came down to camp again, in the day time, overdid 
himself, and relapsed worse than at first with the fever. We bled him, 
and for three days filled him half full of salts, jalap, Castor-oil, Calomel &c., 
&c., his whole system resisted medicine so obstinately, that for a little while 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 213 

we had strong fears that his sickness would be severe. But his physic 
has at last operated well, he now walks his room, and in truth, without 
disguise, is getting better fast, and I have no doubt will, in one week, be 
on his horse again. Now this you will mention to no one but my wife, 
and to her, only for this reason. She may hear, for the whole Army and 
all comers and goers know, that one of us is sick ; and they may not know 
which of the two it is. Again, you know that Solomon is often called 
General Van Rensselaer. Now should any report reach Albany to alarm 
either the General's or Solomon's friends, then out with your letter and 
explain the matter: and then, let no one doubt, for upon my Honor, it is 
just as I state. I have no doubt Solomon will be loell in six days, he may 
be a little weak. We are every few days, deluged in water, such storms 
of rain and wind I think I never experienced, the cloth of my Tent is 
mere seive stuff; every third night I get wet as a Muskrat. But in the 
worst of it I sing, in proper tune. " No burning heats by day. Nor blasts 
of evening air. Shall take my health away. If God be with me there." 
As yet He has been with me in great mercy, and I have an humble confi- 
dence in the continuation of the same protection. I feel safe; for I feel 
myself in duty. I am glad I came; I am glad on my own account. I 
am glad on the General's account, for I take my duty as it comes, I do 
believe I can discharge it as well as any other man : as yet, I believe my 
conduct has met the General's entire approbation. He treats Solomon 
and me with great kindness and confidence ; indeed I believe his confi- 
dence in us is such that, in our respective departments, he would not ex- 
change us for any other two. He has been much worried at Solomon's 
illness ; but now cheers up again ; he continues in his Marquee, but it is 
cold enough to make an ox shiver. Pray go and explain this line to ray 
wife. Tell her if she will hold out thro' this campaign mthont Jidc/eting 
I'll promise to love her as long as I live. Brock is probably now watch- 
ing Harrison, and I fear our Neighbors have some good News, the Broad 
Flag was flying all the day before yesterday at Fort Erie that's all I know. 
Four days ago the Royal George cut out a Vessel, the Lady Murray, from 
the mouth of Genesee River, of this we have ofllicial information. Do 
not start if within three mails I date " Canada." I tell you we are going to 
work. Yours Ever, 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. John Lovett. 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexaiider. 

Dear Sir, Head Quarters, Oct. 8, 1812. 

On the night of the 5th the General procured a man to cross the river. 
He returned with information which fully warranted an attack. Orders 
were actually issued to put the Troops in motion. But during some dis- 
cussions upon a question which I am not at liberty to mention, the re- 
inforcements of the Enemy, with six pieces of Ordnance passed into the 
very work we were that night (night before last) to storm. The design 
was abandoned to the infinite mortification of some brave fellows, and 
none more than Solomon, who swore that dead or alive, he would go in 
the first Boat. But don't scout us, we shall go. Solomon is now getting 
better, the General in perfect health and I am hearty as a Bullock. 
William Lush has just arrived here. Van Vechten has been written to 
on a certain subject : he is now absent : you therefore must take his 
place. Should my Statement appear relative to a proposed Duel, when 
Solomon Van Rensselaer was Principal, and John Lovett 2nd, and Peter 



244 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

B. Porter, Principal and Doctor Wilson 2nd, you are to give me the 
earliest notice. The publication of P. B. P., as a " Rascal, Poltroon and 
Coward" is only suspended at present for prudential reasons. 

Our General is brave, but still prudent : his conduct yet is unclouded, 
and I trust in heaven it will continue and end so. One month will change 
things much for the better or worse. My love to all, and God bless you. 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany, J. Lovett. 

Oen. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Dearborn. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, Oct. 8th, 1812. 

It is now nearly three months since, in obedience to the call of my 
country, I took the field to form and discipline an army, and to shape and 
direct a campaign on the very extensive frontiers of this state This serv- 
ice, even in prospect, presented innumerable difficulties and embarrass- 
ments. Thus far I have met them in that manner which my own mind 
justifies and I trust my country will approve. After a general review of 
our frontiers, my own judgment did notsufi'er me to doubt that the Niagara 
river must be the scene of our decisive operations, and I selected this 
neighbourhood as the place best adapted to our measures, and here en- 
camped. Well knowing that the duties of the station you hold were 
complicated and embarrassing, I have patiently endured much, that the 
affairs of my department might embarrass you less. The crisis through 
which I have passed for the last month has been trying indeed ; particu- 
lars upon this occasion are unnecessary ; but the result has justified my 
measures and I am satisfied. Yet I am well aware that any merit which 
may be attached to this negative service, will not satisfy the expectations 
of my country : to have barely escaped disaster, will not be thought 
enough; the object of the war remains unaccomplished, a new crisis is 
opening, and as in it, you, sir, as well as I, have a deep stake of responsi- 
bility, I shall with great freedom, state to you a number of facts, submit- 
ting my opinions connected with them, and with deference leave the 
general conclusion to your own judgment; and as the honor and interests 
of the United States, your own character and mine, are most intimately 
connected in the subject of deliberation, I hope and trust it may receive 
all the attention which its importance merits. 

The United States declared the war. One army has surrendered in 
disgrace, and another has but little more than escaped the reiteration of 
the blow. The National character is degraded and the disgrace will re- 
main corroding the public feeling and spirit, until another campaign ; 
unless it be instantly wiped away by a brilliant close of this. A detail of 
particulars is needless : you, sir, know service. Our best troops are raw ; 
many of them dejected by the distress their families suffer by their 
absence, and many have not necessary clothing : we are in a cold 
counti-y, the season is far advanced, and unusually inclement; we are 
half the time deluged with rain. The blow must be struck soon, or 
all the toil and expense of the campaign go for nothing or worse than 
nothing, for the whole will be tinged with dishonour. With my present 
force, it would be rash to attempt offensive operations. I have only seven- 
teen hundred effective men [his reinforcements had not then arrived] of 
the militia on this whole line. The regular troops have nearly all arrived 
in the vicinity of Buffalo, except Schuyler's regiment. The bateaux have 
not arrived and I learn they very narrowly escaped the Royal George, at 
the mouth of Genesee river, where she had just cutout the schooner Lady 



Legacy of Historical G-leaninqs. 245 

Murray and a Revenue Cutter. But two or three companies of the Penn- 
sylvania troops had arrived at Buffalo, when I received my last advice 
from thence. 

Under these circumstances and the impressions necessarily resulting 
from them, I am adopting decisive measures for closing the fall campaign ; 
but shall wait your approbation of the plan, and the arrival of a competent 
force to execute it. I have summoned Maj. Gen. Hall, Brig. Gen, Smyth, 
and the commandants of the United States Regiments, to meet me on a 
consultation ; and I am well aware that some opinions entitled to great 
respect, will be offered for crossing the Niagara a little below Fort Erie, 
and pursuing the march down the river. I think this plan liable to many 
objections. The enemy have works at almost every point, and even an 
inferior force might hold us in check and render our march slow ; by 
taking up the bridges at Chippewa, they might greatly embarass us ; the 
cleared county is but a mile or two wide; one flank would be constantly 
liable to be galled by Indians from the swamps ; for a considerable dis- 
tance, the rapidity of the current, and the height of the banks render 
transportation across the river impracticable; of course, our supplies must 
follow tlie line of march, with the trouble and hazard of them every day 
increasing; and should the enemy retreat from Gen. Harrison, they would 
have a double object in intercepting our supplies ; and by falling on our 
rear, and cutting off our communication, we might experience the fate of 
Hull's army. Besides these, and many other objections, there is no 
object on that side, until we should arrive at the commanding heights of 
Queenstown, which are opposite my camp. 

The proposal which I shall submit to the Council will be, that we im- 
mediately concentrate the regular force in the neighborhood of Niagara 
and the militia here, make the best possible dispositions, and at the same 
time, the regulars shall pass from tlie Four-mile Creek to a point in the 
rear of the ivorhs of Fort George, and take it hy storm : I will pass the 
river here, and carry the heights of Queenstown. 

Should we succeed, we shall effect a great discomfiture of the enemy by 
breaking their line of communication, driving their shipping from the 
mouth of this river, leaving them no rallying point in this part of the 
country, appalling the minds of the Canadians, and opening a wide and 
safe communication for our supplies. We shall save our own land, wipe 
away part of the score of our past disgrace, get excellent barracks and 
winter quarters, and at the least be prepared for an early campaign an- 
other year. As soon as the result of the Council shall be known, I shall 
advise you of it. I have received your letter of the 29th ultimo, and 
shall acquaint Mr. Harrison with your direction. I regret the slowness 
of the mail. I have furnished an escort for it from this to Buffalo, 
With great respect and consideration, &c. 

Hon, Major Gen. Dearborn, Stephen Van Rensselaer. 

" From this letter, it will appear to any professional man acquainted with 
the country, and the circumstances of the enemy at that time, that, 
although Gen. Van Rensselaer was not a military man, he reasons very 
much like a soldier ; the counter currents under the opposite shores, and 
the narrowness of the river (three hundred and fifty yards wide), ren- 
dered it the preferable traverse and as to the plan of the enterprise 
which he had finally determined on, it was so simple and so perfect, that 
an act of God alone could have prevented the success, which would have 



246 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

reflected honor on a master of the trade. The ground is so much elevated 
at Lewiston and Queenstou, that it may be called a mountain ; it is an 
immense platform which overlooks the plain below, until it is terminated 
by Lake Ontario. Of consequence, every movement from Fort George 
would have been under the general's eye, as well as that of the officer at 
Fort Niagara. It was General Van E,ensselaer's intention, to have 
marched General Smyth and one thousand five hundred regular troops, 
to the mouth of the Four-mile creek, by the new road cut for the purpose, 
there to have been held in readiness to embark at a minute's notice. 
Queenston was then to be attacked ; and as it was guarded by two com- 
panies of the 49th regiment, with a party of militia and Indians only, it 
would have been carried with the battery on the heights, as afterwards 
happened. 

" These operations, within hearing of Fort George, could not fail to draw 
forth the garrison to sustain the post of Queenston, and repel the in- 
vaders ; and as soon as the British column was discovered in motion, 
General Smyth would have embarked by a signal, and when it approached 
Queenston he would have been ordered by a courier, to proceed to the 
attack of Fort George, which could not have been anticipated more than 
twenty minutes, and being deprived of its garrison, resistance would have 
been vain. That so feasible a plan, and one of such importance to the 
national honor and interests should have failed was to be deplored, and 
the occasion certainly presented a fair subject for inquiry ; because it 
could not have happened without some fault, which, for the good of the 
service, should have been ascertained, especially when General Van Rens- 
selaer defied investigation ; but the crooked policy of a corrupt cabinet 
will not bear inquiry." 

Major General Hall to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Buffalo Oct. 10, 1812. 

Yesterday morning, about three o'clock, Lieut. Elliott, with two Boats, 
cut out of the harbour at Erie, two Brigs, Adams and Caledonia. But 
unfortunately they both grounded ; the Adams on the west side of Squaw 
Island and the other directly opposite Swift's Barracks. Our first, and 
great misfortune was from a cannon ball fired from the enemy which struck 
Major Cuyler, and tore one hand, and went thro' his body, he fell dead 
from his horse instantly. It was the first shot that was fired, he was riding 
on the beach a number of gentlemen near him. 

A number of American Prisoners, and some Citizens were on board and 
relieved, all of which got safe on shore unhurt. Our loss was very trifling 
three or four men were killed, and seven wounded two or three badly. 
The enemy kept up a brisk cannonading for some time, and continued 
firing thro' the day, occasionally. The Adams changed owners three 
times in the course of the day, our troops went on board just at evening, 
took three prisoners, and burnt the vessel. She was much shot to pieces, 
and it is said she had 6 Twenty four, and Eighteen Pounders in her hold, 
and some smaller ones. The Caledonia was loaded principally with Pork, 
about one half of which was unloaded yesterday. The 24 and 18 Pound- 
ers from the British Batteries, however, prevented our men from working, 
several balls were fired though the vessel in the course of the day — one 
man was killed. No officer, except Major Cuyler, has even been wounded. 
I have not yet had time, having no ready assistance, to get an exact return 
and list of the Prisoners named — the whole will exceed forty, two Captains 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 247 

were taken. Will you give directions respecting the Prisoners. We have 
but few troops here, and Buifalo too is an unsafe place. If the officers 
are to be paroled, will you give the necessary directions. 1 find that our 
brave Militia do not like Cannon ball much. I saw General Smyth yes- 
terday, he could not tell the day when he would attend at Niagara (this 
was for the Consultation). I am &c. 

Major General Van Rensselaer. A. Hall M. Genl. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Oen. Ilall. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston. 

I have received your letter of the 10th Inst. But have not leisure to 
answer it in detail. Most sincerely do I lament the death of Major Cuyler. 

One Division of Capt. Hanes' Troop will remain at Bufi'alo : the other 
will come on here. 

For the present you had better send the Prisoners into the interior. 

Major Gen. Hall. I am &c. 

William Howe Cuyler was aid-de-camp to General Hall, exceedingly 
brave, a " fine noble fellow, who could always be depended on." " On Octo- 
ber 9th, he was instantly killed, while guiding some vessels with a lantern in 
his hand, by a ball from the artillery across the river on the Canada side. 
He had been in the saddle all night, and had just left a warehouse where 
rigging was procured for warping in the British armed vessel Caledonia 
captured by Lieut. Jesse D. Elliott." 

Col. Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 
My dear Harriot, Lewiston 10th October, 1812. 

This letter may be the last you will receive from me ; If it is, let me 
beg of you sometimes to cherish my memory and forget any unkindness 
you may have received from me, for whenever an unkind word has fallen 
from me, be assured it was not owing to any want of attachment to you, 
but to the unhappy state of my mind at that moment, owing to my em- 
barrassment and the persecution of my Political enemies who even pursue 
me to this quarter of the Globe. My attachment to you has ever been 
warm and undivided and so it Shall Remain to the last moment of my 
existence and if it should please Heaven to guard me from danger this 
night, I will when I return shew by my actions what I now express, but 
should it be otherwise Decreed let me beg of you to think kindly of me 
and meet my fall with fortitude. My own and the Patroons Reputations 
require that the sacrifice should be made. If I should Succeed, it will 
redound to my Honor and Much to yours and our dear little one's advan- 
tage. Oh ! if I could give you all a parting kiss how happy I would be. 
Support yourself with fortitude on their account and remember they can- 
not do without '//ou. My service has been very irksome since I left you, 
owing to your situation, never in my life have I been so impatient to 
return home to comfort you under your affliction. My enterprise this 
night will shorten our separation, if I survive I shall soon be with you, 
how pleasing the Idea and how happy will be that moment. I o-o to 
storm an important post of the enemy. Young Lush and Gansevoort 
attend me. I must succeed, or you my dear Harriot, will never see me 
again. If so, let me entreat you to meet my fall with fortitude; and be 
assured, my dear, lovely, but unfortunate wife, that my last prayer will 
be for you and my dear children. I wish to write much more but I 



248 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

must prepare for the Assault. This letter will be put in the hands of 
Mr. Lovett until the event is over. I have written to the Patroon about 
you and the children. Adieu, kiss all the children for me, mention me to 
all ; and may God bless and preserve you my dear lovely Harriot is the 
fervent prayer of your affectionate and sincere Husband, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Mrs. Harriot Van Rensselaer, Mount Hope. • 
This is much blotted by the tears of the soldier's wife. 

Philip P. Van Rensselaer to Col. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany Oct. 13, 1812. 

Yesterday afternoon, you was blessed with an addition to your family, 
of a fine young Son, large, fat and regular in all his limbs and features. 
Dr. Stearns says, Bethlehem cannot boast of a finer Boy. Yes, he is the 
image of your unfortunate son " Van Vechten," whose soul, I trust, is gone 
to yonder realms above, where all is joy, peace, harmony and love. Harriot 
is as well as can be expected. I saw her this morning, her joy is great, 
her gratitude inexpressible. Her Mother is with her, no language can 
adequately describe her feelings. * * * This morning I had hold of 
Mayor Philip V. R.'s hand in the street, say to the Patroon all are well. 

Yours with respect, 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Lewiston. Ph. P. Van Rensselaer. 

The enemy had moved some boats from the landing at Queenston, down 
the river, this excited alarm, and late that night a rumor ran through the 
camp, that the garrison was actually summoned to surrender. The clamor 
for active operations became so importunate that General Van Rensselaer, 
who had received intimations by letter from the commander-in-chief, that 
the invasion of Canada was expected, decided that the time for action had 
arrived, and to make an immediate attack on Queenston and wipe out the 
disgrace of Hull's surrender. Resolved to gratify his own inclinations 
and those of his army, by commencing offensive operations, he arranged 
with this view a plan to be submitted, and then summoned his principal 
officers to a council of war. It was very plain that Gen. Smyth, his second 
in command, had no cordial disposition to act in concert with him, and 
delayed specifying a time for holding the council, till General Van Rens- 
selaer, seeing the prospect of a meeting was as remote as ever, could no 
longer withhold his orders for offensive measures. The attack was to 
have been made on the 10th of October, accordingly, thirteen boats, capa- 
ble of transporting three hundred and forty men with their equipments, 
were brought down under cover of the night, upon wagons, from Gill 
creek, two miles above the falls, and launched in the river at the only 
practicable spot at the time, at the present, Lewiston ferry. Lieut. Col. 
Fenwick's flying artillery were ordered to be up in season from Fort 
Niagara. Gen. Smyth was also directed to send down so much of his 
command as could be spared. 

Lieut. Col. Fenwiek to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Lieut. Col. Christie is of opinion, after the ammunition and ordnance 
stores are removed, that a subaltern's guard will be sufficient for the pro- 
tection of the boats and the remaining stores; and that his officers and 
men, full of ardour, and anxious to give their country a proof of their pa- 
triotism, by being engaged in the first expedition, induces me to solicit, as 
a favor ^ that you will allow him and his detachment to accompany me this 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 249 

nij^ht. I think it essential, that, if a blow is struck, it should place us 
upon such ground as will prevent the enemy from giving us a check. Col. 
Christie, after placing a strong guard, and invalids, can march with three 
hundred cfiectives. As silence will be necessary on our march to Lewiston, 
would you permit two cavalry to attend me, that the sentries on the road 
may be acquainted with our movements. 

I am &c. &c. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Lieut. Col. Femdck. 

Head Quarters, Lewiston, Oct. 10, 1813. 
Sir, 

I have received your letter of this evening, acquainting me that Lieut. 
Col. Christie is desirous of marching with his men to this place, to share 
in the contemplated movement. Upon Col. Christie's leaving a sufficient 
guard for the ordnance stores, I most cheerfully grant his request. But 
it will be necessary for him to march by 11 o'clock this night to be here 
in season. 

I am &c. &c. 
Lieut. Col. Fenwick. 

To avoid attracting the attention of the British, the regiments left at 
different hours. 

" The attack was to be made at three o'clock on the morning of the 11th 
by crossing over in boats from the old ferry, opposite the heights. To 
avoid any embarrassment in crossing the river, (which is here a sheet of 
violenteddies) experienced boatmen were procured to take the boats from the 
landing below, to the place of embarkation. Lieut. Sim was considered the 
man of the greatest skill for this service ; he went ahead, and, in the extreme 
darkness, passed the intended place far up river, and there in the most ex- 
traordinary manner, fastened his boat to the shore, and abandoned the detach- 
ment [that is, " he fled as fast as the legs of a traitor or coward could carry 
him."] In this front boat he had carr led nearly all the oars which were pre- 
pared for the boats. The others consequently could not follow without oars, 
and in the foremost boat the poltroon soon disappeared in the gloom. They 
waited for him to discover and correct his mistake, but in vain. In this 
agonizing dilemma stood officers and men, whose ardor had not been cooled 
by exposure through the night, to one of the most tremendous north east 
storms, which continued unabated for twenty-eight hours, and deluged 
the whole camp. Colonel Van Bensselaer was to have commanded the 
detachment. The soldiers endured the fierce blasts and the falling flood 
until almost daylight, when they were slowly marched to their respective 
cantonments, and the much desired enterprise was for that time unwil- 
lingly abandoned. The general-in- chief again determined to seek council 
of his brother officers, hoping the patience of his troops would brook 
further delay. He was mistaken, the calls for action were more imperious. 
The miscarriage and the cruel desertion of Sims only increased their 
ardor, and Gen. Van Rensselaer found it necessary to renew the attempt." 

This contre-temps failure was a sad annoyance to the troops who had 
expressed through various channels, in the shape of an alternative, that 
they must have orders to act, or, at all hazzards, they would go home? 
The alternative which Gen. V. B. thought his own reputation and the 
good of the service required him to adopt, was still to take the troops at 
their word, and lead them into action. 
32 



250 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Major J. R. Mullany to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Fort Niagara. 

It is with pain I am induced to complain at the neglect of excluding 
me from the command of the Infantry marched from here this morning. 
Doubtless, Sir, you are aware I was the first Field Officer, of the U. S. 
Army arrived on these lines, and might in justice expect to be employed 
on the first expedition. I cannot yet convince myself I am neglected ; 
and trust you will honor me with a station in the expedition this night. 
I am, with esteem and Respect 

Sir, Your most Obt. Svrt. 
J. R. Mullany, Major U. S. Infantry. 
Major Genl. Van Rensselaer. 

' Oen. Van Rensselaer to Major Mullany. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 10th Oct., 1812. 

I should have ordered you to this place with the Detachment of Infantry 
just arrived from Fort Niagara, but it is necessary that you should cross 
in the course of the night at another point. When Col. Fenwick arrives, 
with the United States Troops, you will receive your orders. 

Major J. R. Mullany. I am, &c. 

Major Oen. Brock to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Fort George, 11th October 1812. 

Recent events having placed a few British officers and Soldiers at your 
disposal, as Prisoners of War, I have the honor to propose for your con- 
sideration an immediate exchange. Should there exist any difficulty in 
acceding to this arrangement, I entertain a well grounded hope that you 
will make no objection to allow the officers and men to return immediately 
on their parole. 

Major Evans, the bearer of this communication, is authorized to enter 
into any arrangement that you may feel disposed to make on the above 
subject. I have the honor to be with much respect 

Sir, Your Obt. humble Servant 

Isaac Brock, Major General. 

Major Genl. V. Rensselaer, Commanding Lewiston. 

The above was the last communication which Genl. Brock made to Gen. 
Van Rensselaer. He fell early on the 13th, while acting on foot at the 
head of two companies of the 49th, they had been broken, and he was 
attempting to rally them. " He was a native of the Isle of Wight, aged 
fifty-three years, full middling size, stout, muscular, brave, active, a real 
soldier and a great man. He fell at the head of his men, while cheering 
them on to action. It is stated that when leading on his men, he laid his 
hand on his breast exclaiming, ' Here is a breast for your Yankee halls, 
shoot me if you can. ' " 

Hon. Abraliam Van Veehten to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany, October 12, 1812. 

I have for five weeks past been constantly attending Court or travelling 
to & from them. This will account for my not writing you. Harriet 
has commissioned me to be her Scribe. She & the Family are in good 
health. The care of the Farm & her household occupy her whole time. 
She says that she trusts you will not be found backward when duty re- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 251 

quires you to fight, but hopes at the same time that you will not court 
danger wantonly. In this I concur sincerely. The situation you are in, 
and the Greneral's reputation forbid rashness. To shun the Enemy im- 
properly would be censurable, but to seek him under manifest disad- 
vantages would be madness. You are considered as the confidential 
Counsellor at Head Quarters, of course you will share the responsibility 
of every Disaster. There are men who feel disposed to watch for oppor- 
tunities to cast imputations upon the General. He should therefore be 
on his guard against their Machinations. It would ill behoove him to 
jeopardize the lives of the men under his command merely to repel inju- 
rious and unfounded Surmises on the one hand, while on the other it 
would be no less improper to screen them from danger, when he has a 
reasonable prospect of executing successfully a useful enterprise. The 
Enemy are no doubt well prepared for your reception, and have the ad- 
vantage greatly in every essential particular. If you fight & are beaten 
your force is of a description not to be rallied. These circumstances 
present considerations which deserve to be maturely weighed. I throw 
them out from motives which I am persuaded will be justly appreciated. 
Greneral Dearborn is becoming very odious. His fretfulness towards & 
abuse of the Conscript officers who call upon him for Supplies creates 
much dissatisfaction. 

Southwick is preparing a report of his Trial for the press; when it 
comes out I will send you a copy. Tell Lovett his Family are well. I 
will write him in a day or two. His wife says, she expects the fatness of 
the Camp will make him plump and strong and disqualify him for running. 
Finally beware of being Hull'd. If you are, many of the democrats will 
rejoice, they want a set off. Let me conjure you not to furnish it. 

Yours sincerely, Ab. Van Vechten. 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Head Quarters, Lewiston. 

Except in some minor details, the arrangements for another attempt at 
invasion, were the same as on the last. " The previously excited ardor 
seemed to have gained new heat from the late miscarriage ; the brave M^ere 
mortified to stop short of their object, and the timid thought laurels half 
won by the attempt." The boats were brought back after daylight, and 
left on the shore opposite Queenston, where they remained the two sub- 
sequent days in full sight, and within musket shot of the enemy. (The 
Niagara river being but about three hundred and fifty yards wide at this 
place, a British sentinel was killed at his post by a shot from our side.) 
The appearance was regarded as a feint, and they became impressed with 
a belief, that they were intended to carry an armament down the river 
against Fort George. Our operations at and near Fort Niagara (of a con- 
siderable battery) which they had lately seen effected opposite that post, 
confirmed the belief to such a degree, that their principal force was 
stationed there ; and when Gen. Brock was afterwards first informed of 
the firing at Queenston, he declared that it could not possibly be an at- 
tack : " It was nothing more than the war between sentinels." To all 
this, in connection with their faith in the impregnable nature of the place, 
we may ascribe the reason why they were so weakly garrisoned here j 
and that they were so, was divulged to us through such sources as une- 
quivocally to justify an attack, and it was decided that it should be made 
under my direction on the morning of the loth. During the two inter- 
vening days, although yet suffering under the effects of a fever, by which 



252 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

I had been confined to my bed until near the moment of being called out 
to lead the first intended expedition, I was constantly employed in per- 
sonally attending to complete the arrangements for battle, and in instruct- 
ing the different participators in the particular duties to be assigned them ; 
every preparation deemed essential was made under my own inspection. 

To render the success more certain, a large number of boats were re- 
quired, to make another trial, directly in front of the enemey's works, as 
it was the only assailable place. Calculations were made for them, upon 
the promise of Gen. Smyth at Fort Niagara. He was not only to send 
the boats to Lewiston. but was to have crossed the river himself with part 
of his command of 700 regulars and make an attack on Fort George at 
the concerted moment, but neither of these arrangements did he carry 
into effect. Mr. Cook, a highly respectable citizen of Lewiston (father 
of the Hon. Bates Cook, lately a member of congress, who, with one or 
more brothers, volunteered his services for the occasion), was this time 
entrusted with the duty of procuring trustworthy boatmen, at whatever 
expense ; and they, with the boats, were put under his direction. To Mr. 
Lovett was committed the management of the fire from the eighteen-gun 
battery on the heights of Lewiston. This was an important duty, as the 
balls from this battery were to pass over the heads of the assaulting party, 
in order to reach the enemy in the village of Queenston. The duty iu 
the result was satisfactorily performed, though at the expense of Major 
Lovett's hearing. " It being dark, he stooped close to the gun to observe 
its aim, when it was suddenly discharged, and the concussion so injured 
his ears" that he never recovered from the astounding effects of his own 
fire. Col. Van Rensselaer was obliged several times to visit the British 
head quarters on business, also to attend to the wants in clothing and 
other articles for the unfortunate prisoners of war in Gen. Hull's army. 

" On my last visit there, the very day before the action, while returning 
to my boat, accompanied by Col. McDonald, Major Evans and other 
officors, attracted by the appearance of a body of Indians a short dis- 
tance to our left, I expressed a desire to obtain a nearer view, as I 
might know some of them. This gallant and accomplished officer im- 
mediately led the way. On our route we passed two beautiful brass 
grass-hoppers, or howitzers, of a small size calculated to be carried on 
pack-horses, the wheels about as largo as those of a wheelbari'ow. I 
remarked, ' these at all events are old acquaintances of mine.' They 
had formerly belonged to Wayne's army, and were used against the 
Indians, in 1794, in which battle he was engaged. After the defeat of the 
Indians, these pieces had been left at Detroit, where as Col. McDonald 
stated, they were taken by Gen. Brock and brought down, with a view 
of being sent to England, as a curiosity. I observed in a jocular manner 
that I felt partial to those pieces, and we must try to take them back. 
He replied in the same pleasant humor, that they must try to defend them. 
Little did he suspect that every thing was arranged to make that trial, or 
that the next day, he and his chivalrous chief were doomed to fall, and I 
to be grievously wounded." These brass howitzers were among the Bri- 
tish trophies of victory at Detroit on Hull's surrender. 

" Colonel Solomon Van Eensselaer was appointed to the command of the 
invading force, an arrangement which seems to have given umbrage to 
some of the officers of the regular army on the frontier. Lieutenant 
Colonel Chrystie was exceedingly anxious to have the honor of chief in 
the enterprise, and pleaded his rank and experience, as compared with 



Leqacy of Historical Gleanings. 253 

that of the aid-dc-camp of the genoral-in-ohief, in favor of his daiiu. 
But Gen. Van llensselaer wouki not change his general arrangements. 
It was agreed, however, that Cohjnel Van ilensselaer shouhl lead a column 
of three hundred militia, and Lieutenant Colonel Clirystie should lead 
another composed of the same nuiuher of regulars, so that each might 
share in the hazards and glory of the expedition. Clirystie refused to 
waive his rank in favor of A'^an Ilensselaer, but consented to receive 
orders from him." 

Lt. Col. Christie, who had lately arrived with a reinforcement of near 
four hundred regulars, having begged the honor of a command in the 
expedition, was accordingly ordered up to Lewiston with three hundred 
of his men. The remainder were left to guard the boats and stores which 
he had brought with him, to the mouth of Four-mile creek. Three hun- 
dred militia men who had been in camp several months, and were much 
superior to the newly recruited regulars in point of discipline, together 
with forty picked men from Capt. Leonard's old company of artillery 
from Fort Niagara, under Lieuts. Gansevoort and Kathbone, with all 
the equipments belonging to their proper line of service, composed the 
detachment under my own immediate command. An equal number from 
each of these two detachments, together with the forty artillerists, were to 
proceed from the encampment, and effect the first descent upon the 
enemy's shore. Lieut. Col. Fenwick, and Major Mullany, were to follow 
with about five hundred and fifty regulars, and some pieces of flying artil- 
lery, and then the militia in order, as fast as the boats could carry them. 
The arrangement, however, was partially deranged when we reached the 
bank of the river. Here the troops halted ; and while accompanied by 
my two acting aids. Lush and Gansevoort, I was inspecting the condition 
of the boats, which, by the way, appeared to be in perfect order, the 
regulars got possession of the narrow dug way leading down to the water's 
edge. In this emergency it became necessary either to countermarch 
part of this force, a movement which we apprehended might arouse the 
attention of the enemy, or to fill the boats with regular troops in the first 
place, to the partial exclusion of the militia. The latter alternative was 
adopted, and Major Morrison was ordered to follow with the remainder of 
the detachment, in the return boats. " The Niagara river at Queenstou 
is six hundred feet in width, and the heights rise two hundred and thirty 
feet above the river." When all was ready and the troops embarked to 
the number of twenty-five in each boat, I first walked along the line to 
inspect them, then leaped into the picked artillerists, and gave the word 
to push off. The order was promptly obeyed. Counterbalancing in the 
favoring eddies on either side, the lee way made in crossing the main 
current, within ten minutes all the boats, excepting three, struck the 
enemy's shore without difiieulty, at the identical spot aimed at. The 
enemy were on the alert. 

The movements of the Americans had been discovered by the sentinels, 
and a company of British regulars were stationed to resist the debarka- 
tion. Their presence was first known by a broad flash, then a volley of 
musketry that mortally wounded Lieut. Rathbone, by the side of Col. 
Van Rensselaer before landing, and random shots from the field-pieces 
along the line of the ferry at the moment whan the boats touched the shore. 
These were answered by Loveti's battery on Lewiston heights, when the 
enemy turned. Col. Van Rensselaer had been the first man to spring 
ashore, on a large rock at the foot of the rapids, the identical stone is still 



254 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

to be seen near to Suspension bridge. Having landed, the boats were 
iuiiiiediately sent back, to cutoff any chance of a retreat. The troops 
were formed, " Now we are here, we must fight" were the cheering words 
from the gallant colonel as he charged up the bank, where they met the 
enemy. A short, but severe engagement took place, with heavy loss on 
both sides ; but we were victorious, and the enemy gave way, and fled 
towards Queenston, on our right. The position we occupied cut off their 
retreat to their main battery on the heights. The plan for this brilliaut 
but unfortunate battle was simple and soldier-like, and if it had been 
carried out in full, would have resulted in a most effective and decisive 
victory. " It commenced so auspiciously for the American arms by the 
gallant and daring Van Rensselaer, and ended so disastrously by reason 
of the cowardice of the militia on the American side, who refused to 
cross the river and secure the victory which had been so bravely won." 

Col. Van Rensselaer had made himself thoroughly acquainted with the 
condition of the enemy, while on official visits to the various posts, he had 
been vigilant and observing. " He selected his points of attack with mas- 
terly judgment, because from its apparent difficulty, it was the least sus- 
pected. It is true, complete success did not ultimately crown this enter- 
prise, but two great ends were obtained for the country, it re-established the 
character of the American arms, and deprived the enemy by the death of 
Gen. Brock, of one of the best officers that has headed their troops in Canada 
throughout the war, and with his loss put an end to their then brilliant 
career. The force under Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, contending with 
greatly superior numbers, stormed and carried the fort. The gallant Colo- 
nel fell riddled with wounds and bleeding profusely, but cheered with the 
shouts of victory. But the reenforcement neglecting to cross the river at 
the proper time, the enemy came up in superior force, and the fort was re- 
taken, and Van Rensselaer's troops were obliged to retreat. Finding my- 
self very much crippled now by a number of wounds, and with the loss of 
blood, unable to proceed any farther, I enquired for Lieut. Col. Christie; 
[Christie was in one of the three missing boats, it was driven by the currents 
and eddies upon the New York shores, and he ordered Lawrence's boat 
back, while the third fell into the hands of the enemy, it having struck 
the shore at the mouth of the creek just north of Lewiston. Christie was 
not on the battle-field until the morning victories were all won by Cap- 
tain Wool.] There was a vain search for the missing second in command, 
he was not to be found, had he been on the spot, the affair would have 
proceeded without a moment's delay. I directed the troops to f;xll back a 
few steps, under cover of a bank, where they were secure from the desul- 
tory shots still occasionally pointed at them. In this situation a pause of 
some time occurred, till the staff returned without any hopes of Lieut. 
Col. Christie's arrival. Although the business yet to be done was all im- 
portant to the success of our enterprise, I was unwilling to entrust its exe- 
cution to such very young men, the highest of whom in rank were only 
captains, not six months in service. As it was now broad daylight, any 
farther delay was highly hazardous, and I therefore, in an agony of feeling 
which belonged to the occasion, directed the troops to incline a little to 
the left, and ascend the heights by the point of the rock, and storm the 
battery, which by this time had opened its fire upon our place of embarka- 
tion. Lieut. Gansevoort, being well acquainted with the ground, was 
ordered to lead the way, at the head of the picked artillerists, assisted by 
Lieut. Randolph. Lieut. Rathboue having fallen mortally wounded at 



Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings. 255 

my side ; other troops followed, Major Lush, my other acting aid, bringing 
up the rear, with orders to shoot down the first man who offered to give 
way. The noble young men obeyed my directions, and, in due time, the 
report of a well-told volley, and the cheering shouts of victory, readied 
my ear, assuring me of their complete success. Having thus accomplished 
the work with two hundred and twenty-five men, for which six hundred 
and forty had been detailed, nothing farther was necessary for the full 
attainment of the objects of the enterprise, than to secure the advantages 
gained. Nothing was easier ; but an unfortunate occurrence of adverse 
circumstances, turned the fortunes of the day against our arms. I could 
not participate, personally in the subsequent events. I may add, as a 
conclusion of my own observations, however, that it had been anticipated 
that the enemy might open the fire of a piece of flying artillery, from the 
village of Queenston, upon our place of embarkation, as soon as they 
were aroused to action by our attack. Major Lovett's attention had, 
therefore, been particularly directed to this contingency the day before ; 
and, in compliance with the instructions then received, as soon as there 
was light enough, he turned the long eighteens of the battery on Lewis- 
ton heights upon this spot, in such a masterly manner as to drive the 
enemy out before their battery was carried. The ferry was unannoyed 
after this, except by the fire of one gun ; but the distance was too great, 
and the formation of the banks rendered this fire almost ineffectual. None 
of our boats were injured by cannon shot. The artillerists, who were 
purposely attached to the storming party, and provided with matches, were 
to have turned the fire of the battery on Queenston heights upon the 
village, and particularly upon the lower one-gun battery which was about 
a mile below (above alluded to), and could not be reached from any other 
quarter. But some one of the number, in a fit over zealous patriotism, 
frustrated the design, by spiking the cannon as soon as captured. Priding 
myself as I do, on the habits acquired under the tuition of Generals 
Wayne, Wilkinson, and Posey, I am not conscious of ever having neglected 
the performance of the most minute detail appertaining to my duties as a 
military man. Nor do I recollect of a neglect on this occasion. Selected 
to lead an expedition on which the result of a whole campaign depended, 
my reputation was at stake, and my anxiety to give my country a glorious 
offset to the disaster of Hull, rendered me, if possible, doubly vigilant. 
Every preparation deemed essential was made under my own inspection, 
and every contingency was provided for a successful issue; and if the re- 
sult was unfortunate, it certainly was not on account of any defect, either 
in the plan of the expedition, or in the arrangements made to carry it 
into execution. 

Had Lieut. Colonel Christie, for instance, effected his landing in con- 
junction with myself, no delay need have been occasioned at the import- 
ant crisis when I became disabled. The batteries would have been secured 
before the enemy were prepared to annoy us, and our primary object, an 
unmolested passage to the reinforcements, would have been secured in 
season. To his failure may mainly be attributed all our disasters. Yet 
the apology which he makes for it, in his report to Gen. Armstrong, (the 
loss of a rowlock and an unskilful pilot,) would, in a spirit of charity be 
deemed sufficient, were it not known that other boats besides his own, were 
ordered by him to fall back at the same time. Capt. Lawrence, in one of 
the three unsuccessful boats, has repeatedly declared that he fell back by 
Christie's orders. His return damped the hitherto irrepressible ardor of 



256 LEaACY of Historical Gleanings. 

the militia ; Major Morrison, instead of leading his detachment across the 
river, suddenly found himself taken too unwell for the duty ; and though 
the dreaded fire on the ferry was now silenced by Major Lovett's battery, 
and the heights were captured, yet the panic had become so general, that 
but a small portion of our army could be prevailed on to cross. The re- 
mainder, to their eternal shame be it said, instead of lending their aid to 
sustain their gallant brethren in their victorious career, stood passively, 
and saw them cut up, and captured in the end, by a force amounting to 
about one-third of their united number. At the period of Gen. Brock's 
fall, and the flight of the enemy, the troops were still crossing, we had a 
prospect of a victorious termination of the enterprise, and no one then 
supposed the militia would change their minds ; of course, the idea of a 
retreat could not bejentertained. Gen. V. R. crossed over about this time, 
leaving directions for the militia to follow : but learning subsequently that 
he was not obeyed, he returned, with a view of ascertaining the cause, 
and to expedite their movements. It was then, for the first time, he found 
them recreant to the promises which their late clamor for action implied. 
After trying all the means that human ingenuity could devise, to arouse 
them to a sense of their duty, he was obliged to give up the effort in de- 
spair, and despatched a note to General Wadsworth, informing him of the 
predicament. We were successful in every important measure up to this 
time, but the large reinforcements of the enemy, under Gen. Sheaffe were 
near at hand, and very soon our little band of heroes were attacked, and 
after another obstinate fight, overpowered, but they were not crushed. 

Extract from the Official Letter of Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, October 14th, 1812. 

* * * On the morning of the I2th, such was the pressure upon me 
from all quarters, that I became satisfied that my refusal to act might 
involve me in suspicion, and the service in disgrace. Lieut. Col. Christie, 
who had just arrived at the Four Mile Creek, had late in the night of the 
first contemplated attack, gallantly ofi'ered me his own and his men's 
services ; but he got my permission too late. He now again came for- 
ward, had a conference with Col. Van Rensselaer, and begged that he 
might have the honour of a command in the expedition. The arrange- 
ment was made. Col. Van Rensselaer was to command one column of 
three hundred militia, and Lieut. Col. Christie a column of the same 
number of regular troops. 

Every precaution was now adopted as to boats [" Having been confined 
to my bed," says Col. V. R., " previous to the first attempt. General 
Wadsworth, a brave and meritorious officer, was requested to superintend 
the movements of the boats. He procured as many as were required and 
Mr. Cook's deportment of them was well regulated ; and as long as the 
troops showed a disposition to cross, it was well conducted. If there was 
any irregularity afterwards, the fault was not so much in his boatmen as 
in his passengers,"] and the most confidential and experienced men to 
manage them. At an early hour in the night Lieut. Col. Christie marched 
his detachment by the rear road from Niagara to camp. At 7 in the 
evening, Lieut. Col. Stranahan's regiment moved from Niagara Falls; at 
8 o'clock Mead's and at 9 Lieut. Col. Bloom's regiment, marched from 
the same place. All were in camp in good season. 

Agreeably to my orders issued upon this occasion, the two columns were 
to pass over together as soon as the heights should be carried. Lieut. 



Leqacy of Historical Gleaninqs. 257 

Col. Fenwick's flying artillery was to pass over ; then Major Mullany's 
detachment of regulars, and the other troops to follow in order. Col. Van 
Rensselaer, with great presence of mind, ordered his officers to proceed 
with rapidity and storm the fort. The service wiis gallantly performed, 
and the enemy driven down the hill in every direction. Soon after this, 
both parties were considerably reinforced, and the conflict was renewed in 
various places. Many of the enemy took shelter behind a stone guard- 
house, where a piece of ordnance was now briskly served. I ordered the 
fire of our battery to be directed upon the guard-house ; and it was so 
effectually done that with eight or ten shot the fire was sildnced. The ene- 
my then retreated behind a large stone house ; but, in a short time the rout 
became general, and the enemy's fire was silenced, except from a one gun 
battery, so far down the river as to be out of the reach of our heavy ord- 
nance, and our light pieces could not silence it. A number of boats now 
passed over unaunoyed, except by the one unsilenced gun. For some time 
after I had passed over, the victory appeared complete ; but, in expecta- 
tion of further attacks, I was taking measures for fortifying my camp im- 
mediately; the direction of this service I committed to Lieut. Totten of 
the Engineers. But very soon the enemy were reinforced by a detach- 
ment of several hundred Indians from Chippewa ; they commenced a fu- 
rious attack, but were promptly met and routed by the rifle and bayonet. 
By this time, I perceived my troops were embarking very slowly. I pas- 
sed immediately over to accelerate their movements, but, to my utter as- 
tonishment, I found, that, at the very moment when complete victory was 
in our hands, the ardour of the unengaged troops had entirely subsided. 
I rode in all directions ; urged the men by every consideration to pass 
over — but in vain. Lieut. Col. Bloom, who had been wounded in the 
action, returned, mounted his horse, and rode through the camp, as did 
also Judge Peck, who happened to be there exhorting the companies to 
proceed — but all in vain. 

x\t this time a large reinforcement from Fort George was discovered 
coming up the river. As the battery on the hill, was considered an im- 
portant check against their ascending the heights, measures were imme- 
diately taken to send them a fresh supply of ammunition, as I learned 
there were left only twenty shot for the eighteen-pounders. The rein- 
forcements, however, obliqued to the right from the road, and formed a 
junction with the Indians in the rear of the heights. Finding, to my 
infinite mortification, that no reinforcements would pass over, seeing that 
another severe conflict must soon commence, and knowing that the brave 
men at the heights were quite exhausted, and nearly out of ammunition, 
all I could do, was to send them a fresh supply of cartridges. At this 
critical moment I despatched a note to Gen. Wadsworth, acquainting him 
with our situation, leaving the course to be pursued much to his own judg- 
ment, with assurance that, if he thought best to retreat, I would endeavour 
to send as many boats as I could command, and cover his retreat, by every 
fire I could safely make ; but the boats were dispersed ; many of the 
boatmen had fled panic struck, and but few got off. My note, however, 
could but little more than have reached Gen. W. about 4 o'clock, when 
a most severe and obstinate conflict commenced, and continued about half 
an hour, with a tremendous fire of cannon, flying artillery, and musketry. 
The enemy succeeded in repossessing their battery, and gaining advan- 
tage on every side. The brave men who had gained the victory, ex- 

33 



268 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

hausted of strength and ammunition, and grieved at the unpardonable 
neglect of their fellow-soldiers, gave up the contiict. I can only add, that 
the victory wa& really icon, hut lost for the want of a small reinforcement j 
one-third part of the idle men might have saved all. 

I have the honour to be, &c. 

Stephen Van Rensselaer. 
Hon. William Eustis, Secretary of War. 

" The army on the Straits of Niagara could have been assembled for 
offense only : therefore Gen. Van Rensselaer, in making the attack, ful- 
filled the obligations of duty, and the views of government. Advocate as 
I am for the yeomanry of my country, I can find no excuse lor the con- 
duct of the militia on that occasion. By imperiously demanding the 
attack on Queenston, they virtually pledged themselves to support it. 
The attack was made, but their pledge remained unredeemed ; if the 
militia had been faithful to their engagements, and true to themselves, 
the whole might have passed the straits before the arrival of the British 
column under General Sheaffe, whom they might have cut off from Fort 
George, and captured or destroyed, after which the surrender of the fort 
would have become a matter of form." 

The following piquant account is from Gen. Wilkinson, to the secretary 
of war, just after the battle. " The enemy ascertained Van Rensselaer's 
approach by the sound of his oars, and opened their fire from the top of 
the bank, as soon as they could discern his movements, by which Lieut. 
Rathbone was mortally wounded on board of Col. Van Rensselaer's boat. 
The landing was effected with two hundred and twenty-five men, who 
formed under a very warm fire, climbed the bank and routed the enemy 
at the point of the bayonet, without firing a shot; but in this operation 
Ensign Morris was killed, and Captains Malcolm, Armstrong and Wool 
were wounded, and a number of men killed and wounded. Colonel Van 
Rensselaer himself was peculiarly unfortunate, and to the accident which 
befel him, the day's disaster may be partly attributed ; he received one 
ball in his hip which passed out at his spine, two in his thigh, one of 
which lodged, two in his leg, and a sixth contused his heel ; he however 
kept his feet, and the enemy having fled towards the town, with great 
presence of mind Col. Van Rensselaer directed his officers to proceed with 
rapidity and storm the fort. He ordered Capt. Wool, the senior officer 
capable of duty, to ascend the mountain and carry the battery ; giving 
him a direction for his movement, by which he would avoid the fire of the 
enemy's artillery; placing Lieutenants Randolph and Gansevoort, who 
volunteered, at the head of the little column, and Major Lush, another 
volunteer, in the rear, with orders to put to death the first man who 
should fall back. During this time he had concealed his wounds under 
a great coat, borrowed from Major Lush, and when the party had filed 
off before him, no longer able to support himself, he fell to the ground," 
with excessive weakness. Even then his voice was still heard animating 
his men and ordering them to " push on and storm the battery." The 
service was gallantly performed. That battery was taken as well as every 
other work of the enemy at Queenston. Had not Col. Van Rensselaer 
been so badly wounded, there is no doubt but that he would have retained 
possession." It was just then clear day-light, and he found himself among 
the wounded, the dying and the dead. A crust of bread, and some water, 
furnished by one of the former, prevented him from fainting. The an- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 259 

guisli resulting from his wounds, and every selfish feeling, was silenced 
by the contemplation of his wounded companions ; but these lost much of 
their interest, when put in competition with his anxiety for the safety and 
success of the gallant detachment he had ordered to the heights. It 
pleased, however the great Disposer of events, that this anxiety should be 
short-lived, and for the blood he had thus spilled in his country's cause, 
he was renumerated by the shouts of victory. 

" I had marked this patriot soldier some eighteen years before, when 
' the callow down had scarce began to shade his cheek, and call him man,' 
giving earnest of future promise, and asserting claims to future fame ; 
beheld him in a gallant charge at the head of hia troop, shot through the 
body and with the blood oozing from his lungs, still smiling with com- 
placency; yet since the days of General Washington nor the blood of the 
father nor the son has found grace in the eyes of the executive ; and 
amidst thousands of offices which have been indiscriminately lavished on 
the worthy and the worthless, this faithful citizen and honorable man has 
not been deemed worthy of attention." 

From the Canada side Colonel Van Rensselaer was brought over with 
five bleeding wounds, from the boat, after crossing the river, he was taken 
to our camp about 10 o'clock in the morning. "Arad Joy, Esq., who 
was paymaster of Colonel Henry Bloom's regiment, had charge of the 
wagons that conveyed the wounded to the hospital on the ridge road, 
two miles from the village. The loss of blood caused Colonel Van Kens- 
selaer to be chilly. He sat upon a board across the top of the wagon- 
box, without a groan ; and as we met the soldiers going to the river to 
cross, he would call out at the top of his voice, ' Go on, my brave fellows, 
the day is our own.' It cheered up and encouraged them. He was 
taken to good quarters in a private house. The head surgeon, with his 
instruments, was along. We were about to lift him out, but he declined, 
and pointing to some wounded soldiers said, ' take those poor fellows out 
first.' We carried him into the house and seated him on a chair. His 
boots were filled with blood, which was gushing from his thigh, and 
plainly to be seen through his pantaloons. The boots, at Van Rensselaer's 
request, were cut from his feet. Col. Van Ren.sselaer previous to the 
battle had been sick with fever, and had only left his bed to attend to 
preparations for the invasion. The disease and his wounds so prostrated 
him that for several days his life was in extreme peril. It was not until 
five days after the battle that he could be moved from Lewiston, and such 
was the severity of Col. V. R.'s wounds that the transfer could not be 
efi"ected in any carriage. Then a cot was rigged with cross bars and side- 
poles, on which he was carried on the 18th of October by a detachment 
of Major Mosely's Rifle Battalion, who were placed under the command 
of Ensign Grosvenor on their shoulders to Schlosser. There they pro- 
cured a boat and the following day, the same party rowed him to Buffalo 
and then carried him to Landers. How much he was beloved may be 
inferred from the fact that the same company of compassionate soldiers 
volunteered to carry him on their shoulders from Buffalo all the way to 
Albany. 

" The most intense anxiety was felt on the American side to learn the 
result of the daring attempt, but soon came painful intelligence that the 
gallant leader had fallen covered with wounds. And upon the heels of 
that unpleasant news, the report came that Colonel Fenwick had also 
fallen, dangerously wounded. Then, too, the retreat of seventy-five of the 



260 Legacy of Histokical Gleanings. 

detachment under Capt. Lawrence, and Col. Christie's return produced a 
most pernicious effect on the militia, particularly as the party made no 
immediate attempt to effect a passage. The natural reflection produced 
by this spectacle in the minds of the yeomanry was, ' if the regular troops 
cannot cross the river, surely it cannot be expected of us. Thousands of 
spectators were looking on, and there can be no doubt that the incident 
staggered their resolution and inclined them to march home rather then 
against the enemy." 



CHAPTER Xn. 

Resignation of Major Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer, 

" General Stephen Van Rensselaer was not a military man. He was 
possessed of great wealth, extensive social influence and was a leading 
federalist. His appointment was a stroke of policy to secure friends to 
the war among that party. It was only on condition that Solomon Van 
Rensselaer, the adjutant general who had been in military service, should 
accompany him, that he consented to take the post. It was well under- 
stood that Colonel Van Rensselaer would be the general, in a practical 
military point of view. Lieutenant Colonel Winfield Scott had arrived 
at Schlosser, two miles above the falls, at the head of his regiment when 
he was informed by Col. James Collier of the intended expedition against 
Queenston. He immediately mounted his horse and dashed toward 
head quarters as speedily as the horrid condition of the road would allow. 
He presented himself to the commanding general, and earnestly solicited 
the privilege of taking a part in the invasion with his command. ' The 
arrangements for the expedition are all completed, sir, ' said General Van 
Rensselaer. ' Colonel Van Rensselaer is in chief command. Lieutenant 
Colonels Christie and Fenwick have waived their rank for the occasion, 
and you may join the expedition as a volunteer, if you will do the same.' 
Van Rensselaer wisely determined not to have a divided command. Scott 
was unwilling to yield his rank ; but he pressed his suit so warmly that it 
was agreed that he should bring on his regiment, take position on the 
heights of Lewiston with his cannon, and cooperate in the attack as cir- 
cumstances might warrant. Scott hastened back to Schlosser, put his 
regiment in motion, and by a forced march through the deep mud reached 
Lewiston at four o'clock in the morning of October 13th. Again he im- 
portuned for permission to participate directly in the enterprise, but in 
vain. His rank would be equal, on the field, to that of Colonel Van 
Rensselaer, who had originated and planned the whole affair, and who the 
commandinfr 2:eneral resolved should have the honor of winning the laurels 
to be obtained by leadership. 

" After Col. Van Rensselaer was returned to the American side dan- 
gerously wounded, the permission to cross the river, was given by Gen. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 261 

Van Rensselaer to Colonel Scott, and take command of the troops "on the 
heights, which he did, and fought bravely. Gen. Wadsworth was already 
on the field, having crossed without orders. The generous and patriotic 
Wadsworth promptly waived his rank, and said, ' You, sir, know profes- 
sionally what ought to be done. I am here for the honor of my country 
and that of the New York militia.' Scott at once assumed the general 
command, expecting to be reinforced by the militia from the opposite 
shore. He was doomed, however, to most profound mortification and dis- 
appointment." Nine-tenths of our forces at Lewiston operated upon by 
" conscientious scruples " refused to listen to the expostulations of the 
major general to follow^ him to the support of their gallant comrades who 
had commenced the day under such flattering prospects. Gen. Wadsworth 
communicated Gen. Van Eensselaer's note to the field officers. Escape 
was now impossible, and to fight longer was not only useless but madness. 
After a brief consultation with Towson and Christie, a capitulation was 
determined upon. A flag was accordingly sent, with a proposition. 
After waiting for some time without any tidings another was sent, and 
afterward yet another, neither of which returned, they had all been shot 
by the Indians. Scott therefore determined to go with the flag himself. 
Towson and Christie both resolved to accompany their commander ; a 
white neck-tie taken from Capt. Towson's throat, was fixed on the point 
of Col. Scott's sword which he bore aloft, being the tallest, sheltering them- 
selves behind rocks. " Just as they gained the road, two Indians who 
had been aiming at Scott in the morning, the young and agile chief Brant 
and the more muscular Captain Jacobs, sprang upon them like tigers from 
their lairs. Scot tremonstrated, and made known the character in which 
he was seeking the British commander, but to no purpose. The Indians 
grappled with them fiercely, and Jacobs succeeded in wrenching the 
sword from the colonel's hand. The blades of Towson and Christie 
instantly leaped from their scabbards, and the Indians were raising their 
hatchets when a British sergeant rushed forward hoarsely exclaiming, 
' Honor*, ' Honor ! ' and having a guard with him, the combatants were 
separated, and Colonel Scott was conducted to the presence of General 
Sheafi'e, to whom he proposed a surrender, and with whom terms of ca- 
pitulation were speedily arranged, the general at once saying that they 
should be treated with all the honors of war. Orders were immediately 
given that the firing should cease ; but these orders were not promptly 
obeyed, which caused a remonstrance from Col. Scott, and finally a peremp- 
tory demand to be conducted back to his troops. This prolonged fire 
was from the Indians, whom Gen. Sheaffe admitted he could not control, 
as they were exceedingly exasperated at the amount of their loss, but they 
were presently compelled to desist. When Col. Scott, under the protec- 
tion of the flag of truce, had been conducted to the British camp and com- 
pleted the preliminary capitulation, then Brigadier General Wadsworth, 
who was in command when the army surrendered, delivered his sword to 
General ShealFe in person. The ceremony of formal surrender occurred 
at near sunset, when the prisoners, officers and men were marched to the 
village of Newark at the mouth of the Niagara river the same evening, 
where the colonel and his two principal officers were quartered in a small 
tavern, having invitations the first evening to dine with General Sheaffe. 
" While waiting for the arrival of an officer to conduct them to the 
general's quarters, there was another incident, equally spirited and even 
more startling than the scene with the two Indians by the road side. 



262 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

Just at twilight, a little girl entered the parlor, with a message that some- 
body in the hall desired to see the ' tall officer.' Colonel Scott thereupon 
stepped out of the parlor, unarmed, of course, into the hall which was 
dark and narrow, and withal incommoded by a stairway ; but what was 
his astonishment on again meeting face to face his evil geniuses, the 
brawny Captain Jacobs and the light-limbed chief! The colonel had 
shut the door behind him as he left the parlor ; but there was a sentinel 
standing at the outer door, who had improperly allowed the Indians to 
pass in. The dusky visitors stepped up to the colonel without cere- 
mony, and the younger who alone spoke English, made a brief inquiry 
as to the number of balls which had cut through his clothes, intimating 
astonishment that they had both been firing at him almost the whole day, 
without eflfect. But while the young Indian was thus speaking, Jacobs, 
rudely sizeing the colonel by the arm, attempted to whirl him round, ex- 
claiming in broken English, 'me shoot so often, me sure to have hit 
somewhere.' ' Hands off, you scoundrel,' cried Scott, indignant at such 
freedom with his person, and adding a scornful expression, ' you fired 
like a squaw,' thus reflecting upon the Indian's skill as a marksman, as 
he flung him from him. 

" The Indians drew instantly both dirk and tomahawk, when, with the 
rapidity of lightning, Scott, who had fortunately espied a number of 
swords standing at the end of the passage, seized one from its iron sheath, 
and placed himself in a posture of defense against the menacing Indians. 
As they stood in this picturesque attitude, Scott with his sword ready to 
strike and the Indians with their tomahawks and dirks in the air, frown- 
ing defiance upon each other, both parties awaiting the first blow. Colonel 
Coffin, who had been sent with a guard to conduct Scott to the general's 
quarters to dinner, sprang into the passage and cried ' Hold ! ' Compre- 
hending at a glance the dangerous position of Scott, he interfered at once, 
by sharp remonstrance, and also by weapon, in his defense. Jacobs, 
exasperated, turned upon Colonel Coffin, and uttering a menace, his 
companion also unguardedly turned to observe the issue of the new com- 
bat. The scene was of the most exciting and earnest character. The 
Indians having thus turned upon Coffin, one of them exclaimed, ' I kill 
you!' Scott instantly raised his sabre, which was heavy and substantial, 
so that a descending blow would have fallen upon both the savages at 
once, and called out. If you strike, I will kill you both? For a moment 
they stood frowning ; the piercing eyes of the Indians gleaming with wild 
and savage fury, while Scott and Coffin alike looked upon both with 
angry defiance, all with upraised arms and glittering steel. Recovering 
somewhat from the gust of passion into which they had been thrown, 
the Indians then slowly dropped their arms and retired. The officer who 
thus came to the rescue, was the aid of General Sheaffe, whose errand 
was to conduct the colonel to dinner, and who, by this timely arrival, 
probably saved his life. The young chief John Brant, though only eight- 
een years of age, had that day, for the first time led his tribe upon the 
war path, it was no part of the young chief's design to inflict injury upon 
the captive American Commander. His whole character forbids the idea, 
for he was as generous and benevolent in his feelings as he was brave. 

" Having been exhausting much ammunition upon the colonel during 
the day, this visit was one of curiosity, to ascertain how near they had come 
to the accomplishment of their object. J^ike Cassius, the Indian bears 
anger as the flint does fire though not always cold so soon. It was the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 263 

same with Scott. Neither would allow of personal freedom, the colonel 
did not fully comprehend the object of their visit, and a sudden rencontre, 
that had well nigh proved fatal, was the consequence. 

" Col. Scott had counted his own men and knew there were less than 
three hundred, but shortly after, the general order of Gen. SheaflFe ap- 
peared, it was announced that nine hundred Americans were taken pri- 
soners. Col. Scott immediately called upon Gen. Sheaffe, and remonstrated 
against such an exaggeration. On an investigation of the discrepancy, it 
appeared that several hundred militia had crossed over during the morning. 
Two hundred of them under Major Mullany, who crossed early in the day, 
were forced by the current of the river under the range of Vrooman's 
battery, and were captured. Two hundred and ninety-three, who were in 
the battle were surrendered, and the remainder having seen the wounded 
crossing the river, the painted Indians, and the * green tigers,' as they 
called the 49th, whose coats were faced with green, skulked below the 
banks, not engaging in the battle. But they were a part of the invading 
army, were found on British soil, and were properly prisoners of war. 
The British soldiers, after the battle, plucked them from their hiding- 
places, and made them a part of the triumphal procession with which Gen. 
Sheaffe returned to Fort George. 

" Taking all things into consideration the passage of the river, the nature 
of the ground, the rawness of the troops, the absence of cannon, and the 
first military combat in which either men or officers (with the single excep- 
tion of Colonel Van Rensselaer) had been engaged, the events of that day 
were, indeed, a display of intrepidity rarely exhibited in which the conduct 
and the execution were equally conspicuous. Under a^? the circumstances 
and on the scale of the operations, the impartial soldier and competent 
judge will name this brilliant affair a clief cV oeuvre of the war. 

"After the fall of Colonel Van Rensselaer, Captain John E. Wool became 
the hero of the day, both in storming and carrying the heights, notwith- 
standing a flesh wound, and in causing the death of both General Brock 
and his aid. The names of the officers who accompanied Col. Van Rens- 
selaer on this hardy enterprise, (Major Lush, Lieuts. Randolph and Gan- 
sevoort, Lieut. Rathbone, Capts. Malcolm, Wool, Armstrong, Ogilvie, and 
Lieuts. Kearney, Sammons, Carr, Hugonin, and Ensign Morris of the 13th 
infantry of whom two were killed and four wounded, were noble men. 
The conspicuous gallantry of Lieutenant Randolph attracted the attention 
of the enemy and excited the admiration of his brethren in arms), they all 
deserve to be engraved on the scroll of fame, for surmounting obstacles 
almost insuperable, in the face of a most determined enemy, under a very 
heavy fire, and dislodging and pursuing a superior force, composed of two 
companies of the 49th British regiment, advantageously posted, with a 
large body of auxiliary militia and Indians. Here true valor, so often 
mistaken for animal courage, was attested by an appeal to the bayonet, 
which finally decided the confiict without a shot. In the American service, 
temerity is too often taken for bravery, yet the distinction between them 
is as wide as between blindness and vision. Marshal Saxe when a youth 
was seen to court danger in the battle of Malplaquet, and afterwards at the 
siege of Bethune in Flanders, for wliich he was complimented by the tribe 
of courtiers. This drew from Prince Eugene the following wholesome 
admonition : ' La temerite ne passera pas pour bravoure, vous ne devez 
pas les confondre, car les connoisseurs ne s'y meprendront pas.' " 



264 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Oen. Van Rensselaer to Major Gen. Brock. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston 13th Oct., 1812. 

Humanity induces me to request your permission to send to Queens- 
town some Surgeons to attend the officers and men who have had the mis- 
fortune to be wounded this day, and are prisoners at Queenstown. 

Agreeably to the proposition which I had this afternoon the honor to 
receive, as coming from you, I have agreed to a cessation of firing for 
three days. I have the honour, &c. 

Major General Isaac Brock. 

Major Oen. SJieaffe to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Fort George, 13th Oct., 1812. 

I lose not a moment in acknowledging the receipt of your letter of this 
date, and am pleased to learn, at the same time, that the officer command- 
ing at Queenstown, having opened it, had acceded to your proposal of 
sending surgeons to aid the wounded prisoners, without incurring the 
delay which would have been occasioned by a reference to me ; but, as 
our means of aflFording assistance to them, as well as to our own wounded, 
may be inadequate, I beg leave to propose that the wounded prisoners, 
whose cases may admit of removal, should be sent over to you, on con- 
dition of not serving again, until regularly exchanged. Though the pro- 
position which I had the honour of making to you to day, did not go to 
the extent which by some mistake, you were led to suppose, yet I readily 
concur with you in agreeing to a cessation of firing for three days, and I 
transmit orders to that effect to the officers commanding at the several 
posts on this line. I have the honour &c. 

Major General Van Rensselaer, commanding Lewiston. 

Major Oen. SJieaffe to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Fort George 13th Oct., 1812. 

Having delayed sending my accompanying letter to give General Wads- 
worth and the other officers, who are prisoners, an opportunity of sending for 
some necessary articles, I have the honor, at the same time to propose an 
Exchange of Prisoners, including those who were taken some days ago in 
the two Vessels cut out from Fort Erie Harbour. I have further to pro- 
pose, Sir, that the Militia, taken prisoners, exceeding the number that may 
be exchanged, shall be restored to their home and families under an 
engagement not to serve against Great Britain, or her Allies, during the 
war, or until regularly exchanged. I have the honour &c. 

Major General Van Rensselaer. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Major Gen. Brock.^ 
Sir, Head Quarters Lewiston 14th Oct., 1813. 

Agreeably to your permission, verbally communicated, last night, to 
Capt. l)ox, I send Surgeons for the purpose proposed. And I have, 
now, to request, that an officer and Detachment of men, sufficient for the 
purpose, may be permitted to bring the Dead Bodies over the River in Boats. 
Also to send the officers who are prisoners, their Baggage and Cash. 

Major General Isaac Brock. I have the honour &c. 

' Although it was reported and believed that the commander, General Brock, had 
fallen, it was not yet officially known, and consequently the official despatches 
were still addressed to the dead hero. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 265 

Capt. J. Dennis to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Queenstowa 14th October, 1812. 

I am directed to inform you, by Major Gen. Sheaflfe, that the service 
of burying the dead was ordered at an early hour yesterday evening : and 
in consequence, I proceeded with that duty to the fallen brave at an early 
hour this morning, which was completed as far as they could be discovered 
in the wood, when your letter of this date arrived this forenoon. Had I 
known of your wishes, 'yesterday evening, I should have given every assist- 
ance within my power towards their satisfaction. 

I have the Honor to be. Sir, Your Obt. Hble. Sert., 

J. Dennis, Capt. 49, Gen. Comma7idin(j. 

Major General Van Rensselaer. 

Oen. Sheaffe to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Fort George, 14th Oct., 1812. 

I have the honor of receiving your letter of this date respecting the 
employing au oificer and a sufficient number of men to collect and convey 
over the Bodies of the Dead for the purpose of burial, this service is 
reported to me to have been nearly completed, iu consequence of orders 
which I gave yesterday. But should any body, or bodies still remain unin- 
terred that you may particularly desire to have possession of, the officer 
commanding at Queenstown shall be directed to aiford every facility for 
recognizing and removing them. I have the honor to be 

Major Gen. Van Rensselaer. with great Respect. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Sheaffe. 
Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, 14th Oct. 1812. 

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date 
relative to the Bodies of the Dead. I know of no particular case iu which, 
under existing circumstances, I ought to avail myself of your humane 
permission. To the general Proposition contained in your letter of yes- 
terday, respecting the Exchange of Prisoners, I readily accede ; and now 
send Captain Dos who will immediately meet such Agent as you may 
please to appoint to confer on the subject, and make such arrangements 
as may most speedily carry the agreement into effect. 

Major General Sheaffe. I have the honor &c., &c. 

Gen. Wadsworth to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Newark, Upper Canada, Oct. 14, 1812. 

It falls to my lot to observe that myself and upwards of Forty Officers 
are prisoners at this place. Many officers and soldiers fell yesterday. 
I am not yet made acquainted with what the situation of my Officers and 
Soldiers is to be. We are yet in much confusion. Much difficulty arises 
this morning for the want of Specie ; the Officers, generally, the State 
Bank Bills will not be received at all. If the officers could be relieved 
by an exchange of Bills for silver, it would be much for their comfort. 
Excuse me from saying anything further at this moment. I hope soon to 
have the liberty of writing you again. I cannot conclude without ex- 
pressing my satisfaction of the treatment received from Gen. Sheaffe and 
his officers since we fell to his possession. I have the honor &c. 

Maj. Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
34 



266 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

Dear Alexander, Evening of the 14th October, 1812. 

I told you the dreadful day of Battle was at hand. Yesterday was that 
day in good earnest. I lament that 1 am not in situation to detail all 
particulars. 1 can only sketch the outline. But first let me tell you that 
Gen. Van Rensselaer was placed in a situation which he had only the al- 
ternative of eternal disgrace upon his own Character, and the army, or to 
give the enemy Battle, this I can demonstrate to the world. Thus situated 
he decided for Battle. At 4 o'clock yesterday morning our column of 300 
Militia under the command of Col. Van Rensselaer ; and one column of 
300 Regulars, under the command of Lieut. Col. Christie embarked in 
Boats to dislodge the enemy from the Heights of Queenstown, opposite 
our camp. They were to land under cover of a Battery of 2 Eighteen 
Pounders, and two Sixes. As the fire from this Battery was all important 
and to be directed by very scant light ; and if illy directed would be fatal 
to ourselves, Gen. Van Rensselaer did me the very great honor to direct it. 
The river is rapid, and full of whirlpools and eddies; 'the movement was 
instantly discovered ; the shore was one incessant blaze from Musketry; 
three Batteries pelted upon the Boats. My Battery pelted alternately 
upon the Batteries, and upon Musketry on shore; while a snug little 
mortar near by complimented my battery liberally with shells. In a word 
the scene was tremendous. The Boats were a little embarrassed. But Col. 
Van Rensselaer made good his landing in a perfect sheet of fire. He had 
advanced but a few steps when he received a shot through his right thigh, 
entering just back of the hip bone; he still advanced with his van; re- 
ceived another shot through the same thigh ; he still advanced and re- 
ceived the third shot thro' the calf of his left leg; he still advanced, then a 
fourth shot contused his heel badly ; he still advanced till he was really 
riddled by other balls through his legs and thigh. Thus bleeding at six 
holes, and very lame in his heel, he halted in fire, and with perfect pre- 
sence of mind, directed his ofiicers of whom Stephen Lush was one, who is 
now with us unhurt [Lieut. Lush was subsequently dangerously wounded 
before Chippewa in October, 1814,] to rush forward and storm the first 
Battery. It was gallantly done. Both parties reinforced fast ; every 
Battery, played its best. The conflict spread wide and became general 
over the heights. The enemy gave way, and fled in every direction. A 
large body of them got behind a stone Guard-house, in which was mounted 
a piece of heavy ordnance. I directed both IS-Pounders against it, we 
raked them severely; and at the eighth shot tumbled up a heap of men, 
and I believe dismounted the Gun ; at any rate we silenced it. The Squad 
then fled behind Judge Hamilton's stone house, our Eighteen's raked 
them from there, and what could, fled ; with our sixes we used grape as 
opportunity ofi"ered. By this time, about 10 o'clock the enemy's fire, ex- 
cept one Gun, out of our reach, dowu the river, was silenced, victory 
seemed complete. 

[The British forces were driven from the battery down the heights, 
and the rising sun shone upon the American flag on the Heights of 
Queenston proclaiming victor?/. This gallant and brave act had re- 
deemed our young officers and soldiers from the charges which had 
been profusely made of cowardice and treachery, but they were too 
few in number to retain the advantages they had so brilliantly gained. 
This unrivaled efi"ort raised the character of the army in the estimation 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 267 

of the people, a.nd in some degree served to wipe out the national dis- 
honor of that campaign.] The battle was long and severe. Many 
are killed and many wounded on both sides. The General had passed 
over to the Heights, but sent me back to urge on the troops which 
were passing over to support the two columns. Soon after the General 
got over, and was taking a bite of bread and cheese in Jolin Bull's 
barracks (for he had eaten no breakfiist) a Detachment of some hundreds 
of Indians from Chippeway arrived, and commenced their attack with 
great fury : but the Rifle and the Bayonet scattered the sons of ]3elial and 
drove them to the woods. Still the lleinforcements moved over very 
slowly and in short stopped. [The General returned to accelerate them, 
he mounted a borrowed horse and I rode with him every where urging 
on the troops, for not one half of them had passed over. But the name 
of Indian ; the sight of the wounded brought oti", or the devil, or something 
else petrified them. Not a Regiment, not a Company, scarcely a man 
would go. Lt. Col. Bloom, who had returned wounded, from the Heights, 
mounted his horse, exhorted, swore, prayed, the troops who were standing 
paraded, with arms in their hands, to advance. Next (but from whence 
he came I know not) Old Judge Peck, appeared, with a large cocked 
hat, and long sword with a broad white belt. He preached and prayed, 
but in vain.] By this time Gen. Brock had got a large reinforcement of 
regulars on their way from Fort George. Knowing that our grand Battery 
was the best check to their ascending the Heights, I ran my horse there, 
about one mile, to put again our round and grape shot in motion. The 
four pieces were shotted, but to my mortification, before the reinforce- 
ment came within our reach, they obliqued to the right, went in the rear 
of the woods, formed a junction with the Indians, and prepared to renew 
the attack. The Ammunition of the men on the Heights was nearly ex- 
pended, for they had now fought, with little intermission for eleven hours. 
The General sent them some supplies, which I think could scarcely have 
reached them, when at about half past four commenced a furious, obsti- 
nate and tremendous conflict. On both sides fixed cannon, Flying Artillery 
and roll of musketry, the mountains seemed to shake beneath the stride 
of death. It continued about half an hour — when the brave fellows who 
had waded through blood to victory, exhausted of strength and ammuni- 
tion [and overwhelmed with grief at the conduct of their brother soldiers,] 
yielded the day. I cannot say how many have fallen — how many wounded, 
and how many may have taken to the woods to escape the fury of the 
Indians, and swim or otherwise cross the river as they can. The British 
have suffered much: Brock is slain : his Aid-de-Camp, Col. McDonald, 
mortally wounded. General Van Rensselaer is perfectly well, and his 
conduct through the whole action would do honor to an old Soldier. 

This day has been spent in burying dead, dressing wounded on both 
sides of the river — collecting together again the public property, negotiat- 
ing an exchange of prisoners, and all the duties consequent on such an 
obstinate and bloody battle. Both parties have suffered severely, but 
which the most, in slain I cannnot tell. We took but few prisoners — they 
have taken a very considerable number, among whom is General Wads- 
worth. Reports are so various, that I might injure more than I should 
console by details. Lush is well, Gansevoort is well, both here. Sweuey 
late of Albany, is wounded and a prisoner, but the Surgeon who dressed 
him, tells me he will recover. Rathbun, I have heard is pretty severely 
wounded and a prisoner. Capt. John E. Wool of Troy got 6ver. I have 



268 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

seen him, shot thro' the buttocks, but he behaved very well in action. 
Now mind this, young Smith, nephew of Walter Van Vechten, behaved 
well in action ; is prisoner at Fort George — well, he wrote me to day, he 
will be exchanged, on parole in a few days, as I expect all the Militia 
will. General Sheaffe has made that proposition to day. Major Mullany 
is prisoner unhurt. Col. Stranahan is prisoner, I believe wounded, but 
not badly. Grosvenor (brother of Tom) had his Rifle cap shot through 
and all round, but he is unhurt here. Lt. Col. Fenwick of the Light 
Artillery has severe wounds, he may recover, he was taken; Grosvenor 
retook him, and then he was taken again. We have lost a number of 
brave ofiicers. 

Solomon's wounds are severe ; but he is well taken care of, sleeping 
now by my side, and there is no doubt of his recovery. As for myself, I 
am exceedingly exhausted — two nights without a wink — 30 hours without 
a morsel. I have a little fatigue fever, but shall be well : indeed I do 
my duty now. I am a little fearful that my hearing is hurt. I stood for 
hours between the two 18 Pounders, and they have strained my head too 
hard. The Shells I could shun by falling in the mud. Pray console my 
family, tell them to bless God that 1 am safe. I have preserved for them 
one cannon Ball which passed my head by 20 inches, and I gave a soldier 
50 cents to dig it up for me. In the end, you will find we had a hard 
fought day. Truly Tours, 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. John Lovett. 

Col. Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 

My dear Harriot, Lewiston 15th October, 1812. 

The day before yesterday a little before day-break I crossed the river 

with a Detachment of Troops and opposite to this place, under a heavy 

fire of the enemy carried an important post on the Heights of Queenstown, 

which owing to my being wounded, was soon after retaken by the British. 

Had there been more men cool and deliberate with the ofiicers, they would 

have maintained it with ease. Many were killed and wounded on both 

sides. Geul. Brock was killed and his Aid mortally wounded. I received 

Balls near my hip, in my thighs, leg and a contused heel. There are no 

bones broken, and neither of them dangerous, though very painful. The 

General and Lovett are well. Stephen Lush acted as my Aid, Gausevoort 

was also with me, they are not hurt. Adieu, keep up your spirits, and 

rest assured I am in no danger. Kiss the children for me and my love 

to all. I am my dear Harriot your sincere and aff"ectionate Husband. 

T.T rr • . ir Tj 1 AT i XT Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Harriot Van Rensselaer, Mount Hope. 

Oen. Van Bensselaer to Gen. Sheaffe. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston 15 Oct., 1812. 

Capt. Dox, whom I yesterday sent to Fort George to make the necessary 
arrangements for an Exchange of Prisoners, being assigned for other 
duty this day, I now send Col. Winder, to complete the business, and I 
flatter myself there will be no objection to this substitution. Col. Winder 
is further instructed to communicate to you my wishes upon several sub- 
jects (a continuation of the Armistice), and by any stipulation which he 
may enter into respecting them I shall be governed. 

,. . ,1 1 ou «■ I \i-A\e the honour &c. 

Major (xeneral bheafle. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 269 

Agreement for the Exchange of Prisoners. 

The Militia to be crossed over to Fort Niagara on their parole not to 
serve during the war; or until regularly exchanged. Take Capt. 
Leonard's Receipt for the Number crossed over. The officers to be exchanged 
from the line, to be drawn by lot, or, by the direction of Major General 
Van Rensselaer. A Medical Person will be sent over tomorrow to select 
from the wounded those individuals to be crossed over. This Medical 
Officer will, also, determine the case of any wounded officer that it may be 
advisable to have paroled. The British Prisoners, at Black Rock, to be 
set at liberty as soon as possible ; and those at Lewiston, tomorrow morning. 
The Commanding Officers at Fort Erie and Queenstown, respectively, to 
give Receipts for those who may be crossed over to those places. 

James Mallay, conductor of King's stores, to be exchanged for a Sub- 
altern of the line. The Thirty-seven Voyagers to be considered exchanged 
as Militia. 

Signed, at Newark. Wm. Winder Col. 14 i?eg. U.S Army. 

Thos. Evans Brigade Major Kings Regt. 

Colonel Winder wrote to Gren. Van Rensselaer that Maj. Gen. Sheaffe 
had mentioned to him an Indian chief in possession of Gen. V. R. as a 
prisoner. He was willing to exchange him for a major of militia. The 
answer was in substance that Indian for Indian was the Mr exchange. 

Major General Sheaffe to Major General Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Fort George, 16th Oct., 1812. 

I have heard with great regret that Col. Van Rensselaer is badly wounded. 
If there be any thing at my command, that your side of the river cannot 
furnish, which would be either useful or agreeable to him, I beg that you 
will be so good as to have me apprised of it. 

I have the honour to be, sir, with much esteem, 

Your very devoted servant, 

R. H. Sheaffe. 

Major Oen. Sheaff'e to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Fort George, 16th Oct., 1812. 

As the period assigned to the cessation of hostilities is drawing to a ter- 
mination ; and the intended exchange of prisoners and sending over the 
wounded and the militia will require much more time than remains of it ; 
and as, moreover, part of this day is to be devoted to paying the last offices 
of humanity to the remains of my departed friend and General, I feel it to 
be my duty to propose a prolongation of the armistice to such a period as 
may be necessary for the complete execution of those humane purposes. 
Lists are prepared for all the prisoners here, distinguishing those of the 
line from militia; and Brigade Major Evans, who has been appointed by 
me to arrange the business with Capt. Dox, will be ready to proceed in it, 
as soon as that officer comes over. I have the honour &c. 

Major General Van Rensselaer. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Sheaffe. 

Sir, Head Quarters, Lewiston, Oct. 16th, 1812. 

I have this moment had the honour to receive your two letters of the 
present date. I most cheerfully agree to extend the cessation of hostili- 
ties for a time amply sufficient to discharge all duties of humanity to the 



270 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

brave who are wounded, or prisoners j and the just tribute of respect to 
the gallant dead. For these purposes I agree to the further cessation of 
hostilities, until 4 o'clock of the afternoon of the 19th instant. 

I shall order a salute for the funeral of General Brock to be fired here, 
and at Fort Niagara, this afternoon. 

You will please to accept, sir, the grateful acknowledgments of Col. 
Van Rensselaer and myself, for your kind oifer of anything in your power 
which might contribute to his comfort. I do not know that he is at pre- 
sent destitute of anything essential. 

As this, sir, is probably the last communication I shall have the honour 
to make to you from this station, I avail myself of the opportunity to 
tender you the assurance of my great esteem and consideration. 

Major General Sheaffe. ^ ^^^^ ^^« honour, &c. 

Captain N. Leo7iard to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Fort Niagara, Oct. 16th, 1812, 4 o'clock p. m. 

I have the honor to acknowledge * * * of this Instant. The Salute 
in honor of Gen, Brock will be fired at Sun-set. I delivered- your letter 
to Col. Winder. I am, &c. 

Major General Van Rensselaer. 

Majo7' Gen. Sheaffe to Major Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Sir, Fort George, 16th Oct., 1812. 

I feel too strongly the generous tribute which you propose to pay to 
my departed friend and chief, to be able to express the sense I entertain 
of it. Noble-minded as he was, so would he have done himself. 

I have directed the prolongation of the armistice until four o'clock in 
the afternoon of the 19th instant, to be communicated along this line. 

I feel a perfect confidence, sir, that nothing will be omitted on your 
part to ensure a strict execution of the agreement respecting the militia 
ofl&cers and men, as well as any others not yet exchanged, who are re- 
leased from their captivity. 

Allow me, sir, to express a hope that the time is not far distant when 
the restoration of peace and amity between our respective countries, may 
afford me an opportunity of assuring you, personally, of the respect and 
esteem with which 1 have the honour to be, sir. 

Your most obedient and devoted servant, 

Maj. Gen. Van Rensselaer. R. H. Sheaffe, Maj. General (kc. 

The British Major General Sheaffe was an American, he resided dur- 
ing the American revolution in Boston. Earl Percy was quartered in 
the house of young Sheaffe's widowed mother, at the time when Boston 
was in possession of the British. The earl became greatly interested in 
the boy of 15 years and desiring to take him to England, he was per- 
mitted to do so, giving him a military education and placing him in the 
British army. When young Sheafi'e was a major general, at the com- 
mencement of the war of 1812, he was stationed in Canada; he did not 
wish to serve against the Americans and stated his objections and reluct- 
ance to do so, requesting to be transferred to some other country. His 
solicitation was not regarded. For his exploit in capturing Colonel Scott 
and his little band at Queenston heights, he was created a baronet, and 
ever afterward was known as Sir Roger Sheaife. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 271 

" His sister Margaret Sheaffe married John R. Livingston, tlicn a 
Boston merchant in 1779 ; and died in Boston 1784, at the age of twenty- 
four. General La Fayette visited and admired her. He once said to 
her lover, ' Were I not a married man, I would try and cut you out.' 
After his return to France, the marquis sent her a ' satin cardinal, lined 
with ermine, and an elegant silk garment to wear under it.' The relic 
was long preserved." 

" When General Sheaffe marchedi n triumph from Queenston to New- 
ark, he took with him the body of the slain General Brock, which had 
been concealed in a house near where he fell. The march had a two- 
fold aspect. It was a triumphal and a funeral procession. At Newark 
the body was placed in the government house, and there it lay in state 
three days, when it was buried, on October 16, in a new cavalier bastion 
in Fort George, whose erection he had superintended with great interest. 
By the side of Brock's remains were laid those of his provincial aid-de- 
camp, Lieutenant Colonel M'Donell. When the funeral ceremonies were 
over, the Americans at Fort Niagara and at Lewiston fired minute-guns 
as a mark of respect." 

Hon. Abraham Van Vecliten to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear sir, Albany, October, 20th 1812. 

The Dash has been made. I am relieved from much painful appre- 
hension. Harriet bears the Shock with fortitude. Your letter & Dox's 
information have quieted her mind. She & the child are in a fair way. 
Take care of yourself. Do not irritate your wounds by fretting, and 
premature exposure. In this Injunction I am not single, all those whose 
wishes & solicitude for your speedy recovery claim respect concur in it. 
Lovett must keep you in good Spirits & a placid humour ; but refrain 
from every thing that may produce too great excitements. He will be a 
good nurse, if he does not present an old Gentleman with a white Sash, 
in a certain moving attitude too early before you. Yours &c., 

Ab. Van Vechten. 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Head Quarters, Lewiston. 

Major Lovett to Hon. Abraham Van Vechten. 

Dear Sir, Buffalo, 21st Oct., 1812. 

I know that you are anxious to hear from us, and I should have written 
you several days ago ; but really I could not command a single moment of 
time to do it : and besides the privations to which our late situation 
subjected us has worn me down a good deal. The preparations for the 
battle were extensive — the various emergencies of the day called for great 
effort ; the scenes of the night were trying, and the duties of the following 
day arduous. It is over; and as I have but little time now, I shall write 
but a word. The Battle was by no means a matter of cJioice, but absolute 
neccssiti/ with Genl. Van Rensselaer — A flood of circumstances had con- 
vinced the Genl. as early as the beginning of this month that a blow must 
be struck. He was therefore maturing a plan to close the campaign in 
the most honorable way he could. But the impetuosity of not only men, 
but his first officers became such that he was absolutely compelled to go 
to battle, or risk such consequences as no man could endure. * * * The 
Army are immensely attached to Genl. Van Rensselaer and Solomon : and 
they are almost frantic at their departure. The General feels all the 
solicitude that a Patriot jealous of his honor can experience ; but he is 



272 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

cheerful, and reposes himself on solid consciousness of having done all 
that man could do in his situation. * * * On the morning of the 18th, I 
mounted Colonel Van Rensselaer on a cot, rigged •with cross-bars and side 
poles and a Detachmeut of Major Mosely's Riflemen brought him by hand 
to Schlosser, where we tarried that night. As we passed the main Battery 
at Lewiston, they fired a salute of six guns and cheered the Hero heartily. 
On the 19th I embarked him on board a Boat, and arrived here at 8 
o'clock in the evening. 

The Genl. is here in perfect health, and will continue here till he can 
hear from Genl. Dearborn, and then I expect, he will return home. I 
shall not leave Solomon. Fie is badly shot to pieces: has one more ball 
in the thigh than what is stated in the official paper ; but he is in quiet 
quarters where he has every attention. His wounds work well, he will 
recover and be a well man : but I fear he will never leave off fighting. 
Indulge no solicitude as to his recovery * * * Let Solomon's wife know 
all about him, assure her I shall not leave him, but will return him safe 
to her. * * * I am Yours very truly, 

Abraham Van Vechten, Esq. John Lovett. 

Colonel Lovett furnished Col. V. R. with a pair of white-top boots, his 
own having been cut from bis legs, filled with blood on the 13th, and his 
crutches were presented by a French gentleman. The first time the in- 
valid entered the common room, quite feeble, pale and thin, finding it 
very unpleasant to walk, Lovett while assisting him to do so, with a desire 
to make him laugh said : " Well Van, here we go, French fore legs, Dutch 
hind legs, and Yankee hoots." 

The following report of Captain John E. Wool will put to rest several 
controverted points regarding the sequel of the affair of Queenston, 
about which there has been so much misrepresentation. Captain Wool 
at this time was only twenty-three years of age, he had never been under 
fire before that morning, and already wounded. Elated with the order 
to capture the heights, young Wool almost forgot his bleeding wounds. 
He was light and lithe in person, full of ambition and enthusiasm. 

Gapt. Wool to Colonel Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Buffalo Oct. 23, 1812. 

I have the honour to communicate to you the circumstances attending 
the storming of Queenstown battery on the 13th instant ; with those 
which happened previously you are already well acquainted. 

In pursuance of your order we proceeded round the point, and ascended 
the rocks, which brought us partly in rear of the battery. We took it 
without much resistance. I immediately formed the troops in the rear 
of the battery, and fronting the village, when I observed Gen. Brock with 
his troops formed, consisting of four companies of the 49th Regiment and 
a few Militia, marching for our left flank. I immediately detached a 
party of one hundred and fifty men, to take possession of the heights 
above Queenstown battery and to hold Gen. Brock in check, but in con- 
sequence of his superior force they retreated. I sent a reinforcement, 
nothwithstanding which, the enemy drove us to the edge of the bank, 
when with the greatest exertion we brought the troops to a stand and 
ordered the officers to bring their men to a charge as soon as the ammu- 
nition was expended, which was executed with some confusion, and in a 
few minutes, the enemy retreated. We pursued them to the edge of the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 273 

heights, when Col. McDonell had his horse shot from under him, and 
hin:self mortally wounded. In the mean time Gen. Brock, in attcmptiiif^ 
to rally his forces, was killed, when the enemy dispersed in every direc- 
tion. As soon as it was practicable, I formed the troops in a line on the 
heights fronting the village, and immediately detached flanking parties 
which consisted of Captain M'Chesney of the 6th Regiment, Lieut. Smith 
and Ensign Grosvenor with a small detachment of Riflemen which had tliat 
moment arrived ; at the same time I ordered Lieut. Gansevoort and Lieut. 
Randolph with a detachment of artillery to drill out an eighteen pounder 
which had been previously spiked, and if possible to bring it to bear upon 
the village. The wounded and prisoners I ordered to be collected and 
sent to the guard house. About this time, which was between three and 
four o'clock in the afternoon, Lieut. Col. Christie arrived and took the 
command. He ordered me across the river to get my wounds dressed. 
I remained a short time. Our flanking parties had been driven in by the 
Indians, but Gen. Wadsworth and other oflicers arriving, we had a short 
skirmish with them and they retreated, and I crossed the river. The 
oflicers engaged in storming the Battery, were Capts. Wool and Ogilvie ; 
Lieuts. Kearney, Hugouin, Carr and Sammons of the 13th ; Lieuts. Gan- 
sevoort and Randolph of the Light Artillery, and Major Lush of the Mi- 
litia. I recommend to your particular notice Lieuts. Randolph, Carr and 
Kearney, for their brave conduct exhibited dui'ing the whole of the action. 
I have the honour to be 

Your most obt. humble servt. 

John E. Wool, 
Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer. Capt. 13//i Reg. Inf. 

Major Lovett to JosepTi Alexander. 

Dear Alexander, Sunday Evening, Oct. 25th, 1812. 

On the 23d, General Van Rensselaer, b_y permission, resigned his com- 
mand to Brig. Gen. Smyth, and tomorrow morning starts for Albany. It 
was my intention to have stolen time eno' to have written you a long 
letter stufted with important truths by this conveyance ; but for three 
days past it has been nothing but Despatches, copies of despatches, and 
copies of copies till my brains are despatched. These things by day, 
and Solomon by night wear me down pretty close to the old stuft', which 
has not yet failed, and I trust in God it will not fail me. I shall now 
have leisure to post up my day Book expense account, and put my travel- 
ing tabernacle in order. When I shall start for Albany is just as uncer- 
tain as when Solomon will be able to travel. His wounds are deep and 
severe; but he is heart whole and will recover — leave him I cannot and 
^vill not. I hope he may move in four weeks. I know you have a buzz, 
and 10, 000 opinions of the Battle : all I can say to you in this moment of 
time is, don't be hasty in your opinions: you cannot view the whole 
ground yet, but you will soon, and be satisfied. I tell you for a truth 
never to be yielded, there was no middle course : Battle, or wide, personal, 
and public disgrace was the alternative : this I know was the truth, and 
truth must ultimately prevail. I iiardly know what I wrote you in my 
hurry at the close of the battle; but it was undoubtedly the truth as far 
as I then understood the facts. I have since by permission forwarded a 
lengthy communication to Van Vechten on the subject, to be used at his 
discretion. But there are facts still behind, resting on documents, which 
35 



274 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

the General has not yet communicated to any one. In a word, be patient, 
and learn the whole ; and then you will have no occasion to complain. 
Wait a few weeks, and the Campaign will disclose its own facts. I find 
not an officer, not a soldier who was ;Vi the battle, but justifies the whole — 
indeed the complete success of the battle justifies itself; we carried all 
that we proposed, and held it from morn ' till night and had double the 
force necessary to have retained it. Never were men braver than those 
engaged. The several actions were sharp : but all the world was not 
killed nor wounded as some have represented. Exact truth upon this 
subject can never be known — it is impossible — the aggregate of our in- 
formation would about warrant this: Killed 60 — woundedlTO — Prisoners, 
balance against us soy 720. As to numbers the slaughter was probably 
about even on both sides. But Characters differ. We lost no officer of 
higher rank than Captain. 

All Canada mourns her truly gallant Brock and Col. McDonald, his 
Aid-de-Camp, was the Attorney General of the Province, their second Idol. 
I knew him. Two Indian Chiefs fell — we took one. The Armistice which 
was agreed upon after the Battle for three days, has been continued, and 
now exists : when it will end I cannot say. Since the Battle every thing 
has been conducted in that character which will forever honor civilized 
nations. The Salute which we fired at Brock's Funeral, almost over- 
whelmed General Sheaff'e. With sensibility which almost choked his ut- 
terance, he exclaimed to an officer standing by him : " Noble minded as 
General Brock was, he woidd have ordered the same had a like disaster 
hefcdlen the Enemy.'' 

On hearing this Genl. V. R., was almost overwhelmed. My friend, 
the scenes of war are trying, and where, where in God's name, are 
they to end ? My soul is in agony while I review the situation of our 
Country. 

Governor Tompkins, by exceeding hard driving has so managed, and 
economized his time as to be able to be in season to get there too late. 
He arrived here this day. Why, or for what, is more than I can tell you. 
He has been closeted almost the whole day with the General; but I can- 
not learn that he has any plan, or plan of a plan, or copy pf a 
plan's pan. I know that which I will not write, wait a little, I say, 
wait, do not descant, nor condemn until you know the real situation in 
which Gen. Van Rensselaer has had to act. At bottom you will find the 
friend — the Patriot, and the Soldier. — I fear my hearing is ruined : it is 
not much better now than the day after the battle — the Lord deliver me, 
I say, from the Music of 18 Pounders, with bombs for the rough Bass, 
and Sixes for the treble. 

Tell my dear family all you know of us — and my love to all my old 
friends. Last of all, pay your General that Respect and attention which 
his toils, privations and Soldiership entitle him to. 

Your assured friend, 

Mr. Joseph Alexander Albany, J. LovETT. 

" Major General Stephen Van Rensselaer found much that was offens- 
ive to his sensitive feelings in the absurd rivalry of the regular officers 

' " Lieutenant McDonell was a brilliant and promising young man, only twenty- 
five years of age. He was wounded in five places, one bullet passing through his 
body, yet he survived twenty hours in great agony. During that time he con- 
stantly lamented the fall of his commander." 



LEaACY OF Historical Gleanings. 275 

and the heartless conduct of the militia. This truly valiant band, previous 
to the action, he well knew insisted on beini; led on against the enemy to 
drive them from the Niagara peninsula, so that they could return home. 
Many of them threatened to leave the camp unless led to immediate action, 
and now what a disgraceful change. After the commencement of the 
battle, the sight of the wounded, as they were brought across the river covered 
with blood, and the groans of the dying, cooled their military ardor. 
They now appeared to have made the discovery that the constitution did 
not require them to go beyond the limits of the United States. Rather 
than cross over to an enemy's country to be shot at, with a chance of 
being killed, or made cripples for life, they determined to forego their 
chance of obtaining military honors. Several hundred of the militia, 
after they had crossed over to the Canadian shore, availed themselves of 
the darkness and other facilities to hide themselves in the clefts of the 
rocks, where they remained in concealment during the day, and were only 
dragged by the legs from their lurking places by the British troops after 
the surrender of the fighting part of the Americans. All this had been 
very annoying to General Van Rensselaer, and having obtained permis- 
sion from Gov. Tompkins to retire from the station, on October 23, 1813, 
he resigned his situation as commander and General Alexander Smyth 
became his successor. On the arrival of Gen. Van Rensselaer at Albany 
October 31st, he was justly honored by a public reception. Teunis Van 
Vechten, Isaac Hauser, and Peter Boyd were the committee appointed 
by the common council to make the necessary arrangement for the event. 
The reception was as imposing and highly gratifying to the general as it 
was pleasant to those who tendered the compliment. General Van Rens- 
selaer never forgot, in his subsequent unparalleled prosperity the Almighty 
power that had watched over and protected him during that eventful 
strug";le." 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

My Dear Friend, Buffalo Nov. 2d, 1812. 

Anchored as we are in this infernal region, it was very reasonable for 
us to expect letters from some of our friends by the last mail, but we got 
none. Conscious that our little Family have done all that they could, and 
more than any other three 3Ien have, or can do, we feel tranquil, and how- 
ever the world may, for the present, attempt to dispose of the Battle of 
Queenstown, in the end I do know that Truth will prevail, and it will be 
acknowledged that all that could be done has been done. Every day 
furnishes new evidence of the astonishing intrepidity of the Americans 
engaged in the action. The fact is repeated, over and over again, by 
British Officers, that in the first place, they did not believe we would fight 
at all; and in the next, that the men fought more like Devils than any 
thing else ; that for the first ten hours, all resistance opposed was perfectly 
idle. Out of the 46 first men who met Col. Van Rensselaer on the bank, 
it is admitted but Six got off. Grosvenor assures me that in one instance, 
when some Infantry and his Riflemen got a cross tire upon a squad of the 
enemy, he counted Sixteen dead, almost in a heap. Indeed the oldest 
soldiers on the line say, they never saw such sharp shooting. Lt. Col. 
Fenwick is an old Soldier; he says, he does not believe the annals of war 
furnish such an instance of marksmanship. He says he was known to many 
of the enemy's officers : that he was instantly clothed with bullets — one in 
hiseye — one in his right elbow — one in liis side — and I yesterday counted 
nine ball holes in his little cloak. Colonel Van Rensselaer bade his boy 



276 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

bring his coat the other day. We found a musket ball entered the cape, 
just under his right ear, passed about three inches, and out again ; under 
his right wrist, a ball cut coat and lining through four inches ; and there 
are several others thro' the skirt of his coat. The stocking which was on 
the leg that was wounded, besides the two holes where the ball went in 
and out, has no less than five holes across the shin. The shots in Gen. 
Wadsworth's clothes shew his escape to have been next to miraculous. 
But these cotton and woolen stories are too many and too long to write; they 
may do to talk about when we meet. The truth is, that altho' my spirits are 
not depressed, I feel sober' — the scenes of war, to a thoughtful mind, are 
sobering. Besides, I think I see the finger of Heaven pointing, in a manner 
not to be mistaken, in that poised scale of success which swung before our 
eyes at the end of the battle. I am satisfied for myself, and now, but not till 
now, I have a desire to return home. I call myself well ; but my health 
is not just as rugged as it was; from the 11th Aug. to the 2Gth October, I 
had never touched any thing like a bed — been by no fire ; and now, sleeping 
in a bed, and sitting by a warm fire, lets me down from the tone I had 
acquired. Besides the night of the first attack (as we intended) was one 
of the most trying I ever experienced — incessant storm ; half snow, half 
rain, the 12th was all duty ; the loth all death ; and the subsequent scenes 
have been trying to body, and soul. But I shall stand it thro' and get home. 
The General is before this with you. I need not enlarge upon the general 
subject. I have only to charge you all to stick to the man who has stuck to 
his country and command, until passing events taught him that his further 
efforts in commanding Militia, os things now arc, could only disgrace him, 
without serving his Country. The Colonel is doing as well as possible, 
and we Aope, this day week, to start for Albany : but I am not without 
some fears that the wound where the ball is lodged, will yet give the 
Colonel some trouble. 

The Editor of the Buffalo Gazette and your letter speak pretty much 
the same language. The hiss of Vipers grows feeble here. I can tell 
you nothing, certain, of what Genl. Smyth intends to do, but I will tell 
you what I think he may attempt if, contrary to my opinion he attempts any 
thing. I think he may attempt to cross here, and the result I will 
show you, when I return home, if Gen. Van llensselaer will sufter publicity 
of an opinion which he long ago wrote Gen. Dearborn on that subject, the 
opinion is full and able. The world must and shaUhe convinced that this 
Campaign has been conducted with open eyes, directed by busy brains. 
Guard the Character of your General, his papers will defend him. Col. 
Fenwick says, unreservedly that Gen. V. li. has done all that could he 
done. There was yesterday a severe Cannonade below, probably on Lake 
Ontario — we have no intelligence, possibly a Naval Brush on the Lake. 
Just now, Col. Parker, the most respectable Officer in Smyth's Brigade 
called to see us : he says the Pennsylvania Militia toill not cross over to 
Canada. Let Gen. V. R. know this immediately. Col. Fenwick desires 
me in the most affectionate manner to present him to the General, he is 
now next door to us. Do you tell the Genl, I wish he would write a short 
consoling line to Col. Fenwick. Yours, ever faithfully, 

Mr. Joseph Alexander. J. Lovett. 

At Buffalo, Colonel Van Rensselaer wrote a letter to his wife, filled 
with expressions of gratitude toward General Van Rensselaer, and con- 
cluded by saying, " I congratulate you on the birth of our little boy. That 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 277 

this should have taken place on the same night I made the attack on the 
British is singular. He must be a soldier." This child was called 
Stephen, after the Patroon, but he only lived a few months. 

Buffalo Gazette, November 3fZ, 1812. 

Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, whose great military talents, and ex- 
tensive knowledge of service are admitted by all, had through the whole 
campaign, so assiduously devoted, as it were, his very heart and soul to 
forming, disciplining, and managing the army on the Niagara, that as to 
him the last whisper of party malice seemed hushed. He was determined 
that whenever a descent should be made upon Canada, to take a leading 
part in it; and he governed himself accordingly. The descent was made, 
and Col. Van Renss^ehier was in the first boat, and was the Fin^t man on 
shore. Sheeted in fire he advanced, and his brave heroes tracked him by 
his blood up the heights of Queenstown : the result is known — and there is 
not, now, an officer, or soldier admitted to the bedside of the wounded 
hero, but exclaims, " had not you been ivounded, we sJtoidd have taken Fort 
Georrje." This wounded hero now lies at Landon's in this village. At 
this same place Governor Tompkins had his quarters, while he was here. 
He had in pocket the official letter of Gen. Van Rensselaer, stating the 
gallant conduct of Gen. Van Rensselaer and other officers in the action. 
Yet this same Gov. Tompkins never called on Col. Van Rensselaer, in an 
adjoining room, nor sent him a consoling message. 

Did Gen. Smyth expect to rouse the people of the State of New York 
to arms, by a most gross, shameless, and arrogant attack upon General 
Stephen Van Rensselaer, than whom there is not a man among us more 
endeared to the people ; and upon Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer whose 
courage and firmness have made him the idol of the soldiery, in every serv- 
ice in which he has been engaged ? 

Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

All will recollect the prophetic words of Mr. Custis in his celebrated 
oration : " Perhaps at this moment some fearless sailor climbs the shat- 
tered mast to nail the flag of my country to its stump," — affirming on his 
life that " he is a federalist ! " This was followed by the annunciation, 
in a few days of Captain Hull's conquest of the Guerriere. The next sen- 
tence in the oration has been verified, respecting Canada in as remark- 
able a manner : " Perhaps some gallant soldier may yet scale the heights 
of Abraham, to wreath liberty's standard around Montgomery's tomb. I 
tell you the first foot, which touches that classic ground, will be a fede- 
ralist's." This was fulfilled in the person of the brave Solomon Vaa 
Rensselaer, a man who has more than once shed his blood and nearly lost 
his life in fighting his country's battles, though he was ungratefully re- 
moved from office by Governor Tompkins, for the only sin of being a 
federalist. 

A correspondent has handed us the following song in his honor. 
Though not the neatest versification, it deserves attention for its object. 

A New Song, to the tune of Anaereon in Heaven. 

" When our army propar'd to capture Queenstown, 
A leader was chosen of gallant renown, 
From an old fed'ral stock our hero was sprung, 
His honor unstaiu'd but by Sm3'th's lying tonorue ; 
' Twas Van Rensselaer, who never knew fear, 
Always found in the Van, never seen in the Eear. 



278 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

" The Columns debark upon Canada's shore, 

(Far fam'd for heroic achievements of yore) 

Not fearing to combat the terrible Brock, 

They soon gave the foe an impetuous shock : 

' T was Van Rensselaer, to a soldier so dear, 

Who march'd in their Van — never found in their Rear. 

"Bright glory now perches herself on his head, 

Tho' base cowards censure, who dare not be bled. 

Those Buifalo Chiefs, mere scarecrows in war. 

Who ne'er heard a cannon, unless from afar, 

With the heroes of Queenstown they dare not to vie. 

For though mighty good Christians, they yet fear to die." 

This poetical effusion, written sixty-two years ago, adds to the value of 
our historical monument for the benefit of posterity. We have a proper 
regard for the preservation of worthy materials for history and occasionally 
fancy such bright, cheery, and breezy words to enchance the historical 
value, as they are of special interest from their refercQce to military opera- 
tions during the war of 1812. 

Major Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 
Dear Alexander, Buffalo, 4th November, 1812, 

I have, somewhere, heard something said about " Mans last Speeches, 
and dying words" of Dr. Baxter — Again ; I remember that stuttering 
Larrahe wanted to speak a few words before he began ? Now why may not 
I, upon some analogous principle, speak a few words after Ihavc done ? 
In my last, I desired you not to write any more; surely not because I did 
not wish to hear from Albany, for our solicitude is a perfect Rock. Even 
the humblest Satellites of Jupiter, could they reason, would never be in- 
diff"ereut to the fate of the glorious luminary round which they revolve; 
but must shudder at the very idea of an eternal eclipse of that body whose 
rays they once had the glory of reflecting. However, reposing ourselves 
upon the consciousness of having faithfully discharged our duty to our 
Country, to our friends, and to ourselves, we shall meet with firmness 
whatever decision the world may make upon the conduct of Greneral Van 
Rensselaer, We feel, and know that we are not destitute of common 
sense : we know that we have better knowledge of the Campaign than 
any other men ; and this enables us to speak with confidence as to the 
result of Genl. Van Rensselaer's command. Should his own modesty, or 
perseverance in his determination of enduring everything himself, rather 
than to expose the folly, weakness and wickedness of others, cast a mist 
over him, for the present (which, by the bye, I neither expect, or believe), 
the day is not far distant when the Sun of truth will burst thro' and dis- 
sipate the fogs of error, and the clouds of delusion. I repeat it, again, 
the Campaign loill explain itself; this you will see in 60 days; and say 
that Genl. V, R. did all that could be done ; saved all that could be saved. 
Being, now, out of the Cabinet, I know nothing that is init. My chance 
is only that of a common spectator, and hardly that : for, with my Ear- 
blinders yet tight buckled down, I can only hear what people bawl, and, 
tho' Bawling is the order of the day, it becomes very necessary, now, I 
imagine, to "taw/," without "crying aloud." 

I understand that General Smyth is getting together all the Boats he 
can [" General Van Rensselaer has been censured for not having boats 
enough. It was no fault of his. There were only thirteen, but this 
inadequate number of boats was owing to remissness in Quarter-master- 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 279 

general Porter's department. The quarter master, then stationed at the 
Falls, had written to Van Rensselaer, ' I can furnish you boats at two or 
three days notice to carry over 12U0 or 1400 men.' A sufficient number 
for six or seven hundred were ordered, but he had forwarded only 
thirteen at the appointed hour."] That the Pennsylvania Militia are looked 
for with solicitude, in short, tiiat movements warrant the expectation 
that the descent upon Canada will shortly be renewed in this neighbor- 
hood. I have before advised you as to an opinion upon that subject. 
Experiment is the touchstone of opinion. Gen. Van Rensselaer had his 
opinion as to the best place for crossingthe Niagara, he tested his opinion — 
the result is known ; and Gen. Symth has, certainly, the same right to his 
opinion that Gen. V. R. had to his; and when both are tested the world 
will be prepared to decide. I have but one hope — one prayer in either 
case, which is for the best interest of the service; the highest honor of 
our arms and the greatest weal of our Country. — What our Militia will 
come to I know not — a daring Mutiny broke out three days ago in Miller's 
Brigade. 100 stacked their arms and marched oflF; lOU more stacked 
their arms and stood by them. The Genl. and his principal officers came 
forward, and with great efforts persuaded the men to return to their duty, 
on the Promise of Barracks and better Quarters^ in a very few days. 
This may be relied on, as I have it from the mouth of one of the first 
officers of the Brigade. Genl. Miller is dismissed, and has retired; his 
Brigade is now consolidated with Col. Dobbin's Regiment. The Firing 
mentioned in my last was a Sham Battle of Col. Winder's Regiment, at 
Fort Niagara. 

Colonel Van Rensselaer hobbles, on two Crutches, in great style — 
prospects warrant a belief that we may leave this in five days. I confess 
to you I am all alive with solicitude — public and private — the Presi- 
dential Election ; our Legislature, the war, the general disturbance of the 
Country, my family; the approach of winter, the uncertainty of my hear- 
ing again, all close in upon me, and require all the firmness I can muster. 
Altho' your solicitude for our flesh and bones, the viler part, may have 
subsided ; yet I trust in heaven, that as far as the conduct of the Cam- 
paign is justifiable that cavilers will be met in the gap : and that if any- 
thing remains doubtful the arm of Charity will, with patience, support the 
beam until Justice shall have cast in all the weights, and truth shall have 
footed up the tally, and then, my head to the block, and my word to the 
wind if there be not a unanimous verdict of honest men. Should any 
man say we had not Boats eno' the truth is not in him : the river is not, 
where tije troops crossed, 300 yards wide; a passage might easily be 
made in five minutes — we had 12 Boats which would carry 30 men each, 
and 2 which would carry 80 each. If on the Heights of Queenstown 
there had been a sight to gratify curiosity, every man of the Army might 
have been over before 11 o'clock. I saio the Boats, on both sides, idle. 
The Eternal Truth is that the men who had solemnly pledged themselves 
to go over, would not. 

I saw a Field Officer, [Major Morrison] who had yelped his lungs sore, 
to go over, tied up his temples on the day of battle, and at night told me 
he had '' hardly been able to keep off his bed the xohole day." But eno', 
eno', the General is with you : he has all, and knows all. I am sick of 
rolling and tumbling in the frothy billows, with fleet Indians, ragamuffins, 
vagabonds, and slubber-de-gullions who whirl in the eddies of Niagara. 
Do tell my dear Wife that 1 long to return to a laud where the people 



280 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

fear the Lord and acknowledge his government. That the cord of my 
affection is stretched to the last ; I will reel it up upon my heart as fast 
as possible, till she can reach, and roll it upon her own heart, and there 
let it continue until death knots off skeins to warp the woof of eternal 
happiness. Your ever true 

Mr. Joseph Alexander. John Lovett. 

Oen. Van Rensselaer to Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear friend, Water Vliet, Nov. 8, 1812. 

1 cannot describe my feelings at the reception I met with in my journey 
home, if I had been a Victor, I could not have been more honored. 
Nothing was wanting, but my two companions or dear friends, the partners 
of my toil and anxiety to have made me as happy as ever Man was. Our 
friends at Utica are determined to give you a reception, which all good 
men say you merit. 

I have visited your Wife, and friend Lovett's — found them well and 
inquiries innumerable on war, natural, which I faithfully answered, 
sometimes a little embelished, I have visited Gen. Dearborn, nothing 
new. Gov. Lewis is extravagant in his encomiums, he says you are to 
have a Regiment, and if no vacancy occur, one will be raised. I have 
seen the official Letter of the British by the Adj. General, it differs from 
mine considerably in point of fact. 

Who received the Flag that made the proposition for a cessation ? 
They state that it came from me, you know to the contrary, indeed Gen. 
Sheaffe's Letter to me will establish the fact. 

Pray beg Lovett to write to me every mail. I have ordered the news- 
papers to be sent to you. 

Present my sincere respects to Lovett and believe me ever your friend. 

Col. Van Rensselaer, Buffiilo. S. V. Rensselaer. 

" Col. Van Rensselaer remained in Buffalo until the 9th of November, 
and was then conveyed to his home at Mount Hope, near Albany, ac- 
companied as he had been since his removal from Lewiston by Mr. Lovett. 
They were met in the suburbs of Albany by a cavalcade of citizens, and 
Van Rensselaer was received with the honors of a victor." 

" It gives us the most sincere and heartfelt pleasure to be able to an- 
nounce to our fellow citizens, that Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, who 
was so severely wounded in the attack on Queenston, has so far re- 
covered, as to be able to endure the long and fatiguing journey, from 
Niagara to Albany, and is again restored to his amiable, and highly en- 
deared family : and is in a fair way of a speedy recovery from his wounds. 
He arrived in this city on Tuesday evening November 17th, accompanied 
by Major Lovett, his friend and companion in arms, who has faithfully 
attended him from the moment he was brought off the field of action, 
until he was safe in the bosom of his family. It was a gay time ; pro- 
cession, flowers and all conceivable pleasures have been lovingly brought 
into requisition to contribute to the general rejoicing and they went home 
singing, 'No more I'll pant for glory's wreath. ' Every thing connected 
with the joyful reception was most satisfactory to the invalid and disabled 
officer, for even the very atmosphere of home was invigorating. The 
happy return on that occasion did not fail to evoke new gratitude in that 
peaceful mansion, with the full measure of glad hearts, sacred to the ex- 
pression of the affectionate relations that make life lovely. The festivities 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 281 

were not saddened by 'an awful sense of one mute shadow watching all' 
as a bright promise of returning health gave a buoyancy to anxious hearts." 

Judge Van NesH to Col. Van Rimsselaer — The "Soldier's Return." 
Dear Sir, Kingston, 23 November 1812. 

In a paper which T have just seen while holding a Court in this place, 
I have with heartfelt satisfaction read the above, your safe arrival at your 
own house. As an old friend, T must be permitted to congratulate you 
and your family upon the pleasing occurrence, audadd my wishes to those 
of your many other friends, that you may be speedily restored to your 
usual health, strength and usefulness. You have suffered much, and 
probably will suffer more. T sympathize with you most deeply, but if you 
shall in the end be restored to the use of your bodily powers, your past 
sufferings will be forgotten in the joy which such a consummation will 
occasion. As soon as I have moved into my new house and can leave 
home, which will be in about a fortnight, I shall go to Albany, to tell 
you in person how much I rejoice that you are still in the land of the liv- 
ing, and in the bosom of your family. 

With unabated affection and friendship. Yours &c. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq. W. W. Van Ness. 

A wide circle of relatives and friends manifested a great desire to 
contribute to the happiness of Col. Van Rensselaer, and he again found 
there was "sunshine as well as clouds" around him, enjoyment as well as 
misery and much earthly bliss. 

Albany Dec. 1, 1812. 

If the Weather and the State of Colonel Van Rensselaer's health will 
permit an Address is intended to be delivered in Washington Hall on Mon- 
day evening next. The committee will previously call on Cols. Van Rens- 
selaer and Lovett. 

To Cols. Solomon Van Rensselaer and John Lovett. 

Gentlemen, The deep interest which your fellow Citizens have so gen- 
erally manifested, with respect to your Services and Sufferings during the 
last Campaign, sufficiently indicates the exalted rank you hold in their 
estimation. Your brethren, the Members of the Washington Benevo- 
lent Society,' participating largely in the public sensibility, and impelled 
by fraternal affection, aud by the sincere respect and esteem they have ever 
entertained for you, beg leave to present you with this expression of their 
sentiments and feelings. 

The members of this Society, have ever had the fullest Confidence in 
the prudence and discernment of Major Gen. Van Rensselaer. His appoint- 
ing you Gentlemen to important and Confidential Stations near his person, 
afforded an additional proof that that confidence was well founded, and it 
at the same time yielded them the highest gratification. 

It is not intended to euter into an examination of the Question, or pol- 
icy of the present War. There cannot exist in this place, it is presumed, 
any contrariety of opinion on these points. Your brethren cannot however 
refrain from expressing their Sympathy, for the mental anguish you must 
have endured when you came to examine the " attitude and armour " in 
which the Country had been placed for the purpose of offensive War, when 
you came to have under your immediate observation (and to experience 

1 This was an organization opposed to the war. 
36 



282 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

the effects of) the Ignorance, the imhecility, the want of preparation and 
foresight, the distraction, the dishonesty, the Jealousy, and the low in- 
trigues of the Government, its Officers and Agents ; and when you could 
not avoid anticipating the result, this state of things must necessarily pro- 
duce 5 the sacrifice of lives and property and the disgrace of the Country. 

The gallantry displayed by you, Colonel Van Rensselaer, in the Attack 
on Queenston, is the subject of public admiration and praise. It must 
have endeared you to such of your brother officers as are capable of duly 
appreciating this most noble trait in the Character of a Soldier ; and in 
your present languishing condition, it constitutes at once the pride and 
the Solace of your friends. 

In those who were previously acquainted with the pupil of the Intrepid 
Wayne, this act of bravery occasioned no surprise. They were persuaded, 
that he would be found at the post of danger and that he possessed the 
Spirit, and the Skill to render essential Service to his Country. 

Your brethren cannot forbear to lament, that that attack proved in the 
event, so disastrous to the Nation and to you ; they however hope, that it 
may tend in some degree " to revive the foryotten dignity of the American 
name." 

The Wounds of a Soldier received in the Service of his Country, have ever 
been considered as presenting an almost imesistible claim to attention and 
respect. Two cases only are recollected in which this claim has been 
wholly disregarded. By the Mob at Baltimore, to whom the unfortunate 
Genl. Liugan opened his bosom, and tliey Stabbed him through the Scars 
of the Wounds he had received in fighting for the Liberty and Independ- 
ence of America ! By the Chief Magistrate of the State of New York, who 
formerly professed to be your personal friend, who is your fellow Towns- 
man and Neighbor. He came to the place where you lay, helpless, 
covered with wounds, many hundred of miles from your family and your 
home. These wounds too were received in battle in the course of a War, 
for which he is a zealous advocate. He lodged beneath the same roof 
with you, a few inches only of lath and plaster separated you from each 
other, and he did not deign to speak to you, or to inquire into your situa- 
tion, or even to direct his eyes towards you. And yet this man is gene- 
rally reputed to be mild, humane, and affable. The appearance too of 
his State Coach, every Sabbath at the door of the house of Worship, is 
calculated to induce a belief that he is pious also. But the Vail is now 
rent asunder. His hypocrisy is manifest, and he appears in his true Cha- 
racter, destitute of every generous and manly feeling, Vengeful, Malig- 
nant, and Implacable. 

Colonel Lovett, 

From your acknowledged literary talents, independent mind, and experi- 
ence in life, your brethren expected with confidence, that in every trying 
situation, and in the discharge of the most arduous and difficult duties, 
you would promote the good of the Service and advance your own reputa- 
tion. They also looked to you in a great measure, to throw light on the 
transactions of the Campaign, or the State of the Army, and of the North 
western Frontier. Nor have they been disappointed in a single particular. 
Your conduct has been such, as fully to satisfy the highest expectations 
of your warmest friends. When it had become public that General Van 
Rensselaer had relinquished the command of the army, it was supposed 
by some, (and your known attachment to your family rendered it probable) 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 283 

that you would immediately return home. But the brave ever love each 
other; you chose to remain with your friend and Companion in Arms ; 
nor did you attempt to pass the threshold of your own dwelling, until you 
had deposited the wounded llcro in the bosom of his family. It is im- 
possible to avoid doing homage to a proceeding so truly noble and generous. 

Finally, Gentlemen, your brethren assure you, that it is with the most 
sincere pleasure they now congratulate you, on your return to your re- 
spective families, and the comforts of domestic life, and that they again 
behold you in this Hall, in the midst of a Society, who hold in reverence 
the name and principles of our beloved Washington. 

" O Washington ! the brightness of thine example, and the superior 
lustre and dignity of thy character, are too far beyond the reach of imita- 
tion, to be ever the objects of envy. No man ever deserved so much of 
his country. No other man ever displayed such greatness and magnanimity 
of character, in divesting himself of power, in relinquishing the highest 
object of ambition, and retiring from the chief magistracy of a free people, 
to the state of a private Citizen." 



CHAPTER XHI. 

Major John Lovett's Election to the 13th Congress. 

J. Robinson to Col. Van Reiisselaer. 

Sir, BuflPalo Dec. 2nd 1812. 

The result of the battle of Queenston was painful to all ; but language 
is insufficient to paint the proceedings of Brig. Gen. Smyth's pretended 
attack upon Canada : his contemptible proclamations wounded the heart 
of every officer, who was a prisoner at Queenston ; yet it was hoped that 
a great soul would do great things — what is the result. My God ! Hulled ! 
no. But as ftir superior in turpitude, baseness and cowardice, as Satan is 
to Michael the Arch-Angel in wickedness. 

That pompous proclamation brought volunteers from every quarter; 
and on the 27th November ult. his forces were more than eight thousand 
men : and his boats would carry three thousand eight hundred men, be- 
sides eleven pieces of Artillery, with as many ammunition wagons and 
forty-eight horses : On the night of the same day, three hundred Sailors 
and regulars crossed the river, spiked all the British cannon, took thirty- 
one prisoners, and returned. The morning following Col. Wynder, with 
his regiment crossed the river, and were repulsed by about three hundred 
British ; by 12 o'clock all the boats were filled and passed up to the Rock, 
and nothing to obstruct their landing in Canada, but a six pounder which 
did them no injury, neither could bear on them longer, by means of our 
batteries. At the same time three sailors crossed the river, set two houses 
on fire, plundered a store, burned it, shot fowls, ducks, and pigs without 



284 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

opposition from the enemy, who in attempting to approach were driven 
back by the. well directed fire from our batteries ; Notwithstanding the 
ardor of the troops to pass the river, they were ordered ashore (to disem- 
bark and dine !) and a Flag was sent to Canada ! ! 

Yesterday at three o'clock A. M. the troops were again ordered to embark, 
the American Flag was raised, with everything ready for a descent, when — 
Lo ! the Coward appeared — and — the remainder cannot be described, 
but, by the fallen countenances of the officers and the fury of the privates. 

I, Sir, have been anxious, since your departure from this, to hear of 
your safe arrival in the bosom of your family ; and that you have by this 
recovered of your wounds. Be assured Sir, that I feel much for your 
welfare. Lois Le Canteubx Esqr. presents his best respects to you. 
I am Dear Sir, Your most obedient humble Servant, 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany. Josiah Robinson. 

" The scruples of the Pennsylvania brigade had been overcome, and 
they would have invaded Canada cheerfully under other auspices. But 
distrust of their leader, had demoralized the whole army. They had made 
so much noise in the embarkation that the startled enemy had sounded 
his alarm bugle and discharged signal-guns. Smyth called a council of 
the regular officers and soon an order was received, from the commanding 
general to General Porter, directing the whole army to debark and repair 
to quarters. This was accompanied by a declaration that the invasion of 
Canada was abandoned at present. The regulars were ordered into 
winter quarters, and the volunteers dismissed." 

Dr. Chapin to Col. Van Rensselaer' — A Duel. 

Dear Sir, Buffalo Dec. 13, 1812. 

Tills part of our country seems destined to be the theatre of events 
both strange and new. You will hardly believe me when I tell you that 
our two doughty Generals — Smyth and Porter, got into a boat yesterday 
with something like 20 men, and, with flying colors went over to Grand 
Island — burnt a charge of powder at each other, shook hands, and came 
'■'■hock agen," without staining the ground with even one drop of their 
precious blood. The challenge was given by Gen. Smyth, who finding 
that no " uugathered laurels, were to be plucked on the Canadian shore 
this winter, even condescended to seek them on a little Island, the claim 
to which is in dispute between the two governments. The combatants 
were to have met between the hours of eleven and one ; but it seems they 
were not willing or ready to quit this world, until about 4 o'clock in the 
afternoon, when they met. The cause of this truly important and war- 
like movement, appeared in the Buffalo Gazette of last week ; I mean, 
Porter's letter to the Editors, in which he directly calls Smyth a coward, 
and indirectly a liar. The conqueror of Canada, at first, took this in high 
dudgeon ; but one shot from his antagonist, that just whistled over his 
head, completely satisfied him " that Gen. Porter was a man of honor, 
and had doubtless labored under some mistake, or misrepresentation, when 
he wrote the offensive paragraph." 

Captain Fitzgerald, of the 49th Regt. was over on Saturday after Gen. 
Smyth had taken Canada by his white flag, and told a number of our 
officers, who were collected round him, that the United States would never 
conquer Canada until some of their old Generals rose from their graves. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 285 

But when lie hears how Gen. Smyth has the courage to be shot at, he will, 
no doubt, consider the situation of Canada as desperate. I remain dear Sir, 

Your sincere friend and hble. Servant 
Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer Albany. Cyrenius Chapin. 

" General Porter openly attributed the abandonment of the invasion of 
Canada to the cowardice of Smyth. A bitter quarrel ensued, and soon 
resulted in a challenge by the general-in-chief for his second in command 
to test the courage of both by a duel. In direct violation of the Articles 
of War, these superior officers of the army, with friends, and seconds, and 
surgeons, put oflF in boats from the shore near Black Rock, in the presence 
of their troops, at two o'clock in the afternoon of the 12th of December, to 
meet each other in mortal combat on Grand Island. They exchanged 
shots at twelve paces distance. Nobody was hurt. The expected tragedy 
proved to be a solemn comedy. The afl'air took the usual ridiculous course. 
The seconds reconciled the belligerents, the hand of reconciliation was 
offered and received. Confidence in the military ability of Gen. Smyth 
was destroyed, and three months after he was disbanded." 

In 1846, the Albany Argun published, "from the pen of a distinguished 
writer and author," an account of the battle of Queenston which was 
strangely inaccurate in many of its points ; it roused the ire of the insulted 
old soldier. Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer — "whose manly eloquence, was 
characterized by the rare and admirable poise of his statements" as pub- 
lished in the same paper. The administration had seemed pitiless towards 
this victim of injustice, but he did full honor and manifested equity re- 
garding the illustrious services, and the high character of other officers. 
I am not ashamed to confess that I have some natural pride left in the 
part which I took in the affair of Queenstown — though the fire of ambi- 
tion is now, at the age of threescore and ten, a little burned out of me ; 
still I should hardly deem it necessary to say a word in reply to this 
article, were it not for the gross injustice which it does to others, two of 
whom, as gallant young men as ever trod a battle field, were of this city. 
I published in 1836, a Narrative of the Battle of Queenstown, fortified by 
official and other documents, and to that I confidently refer. It was drawn 
from me by an invidious publication made by General Armstrong, and 
the truth of its facts and positions has never been assailed, and cannot be 
gainsaid. I have no intention, at my time of life, of being drawn into 
a newspaper controversy on this subject. I rely on my narrative. 
Perhaps the public will be at no great loss to discover the object of the 
article in your paper, whatever may be thought of the source from which 
it emanates, when this brief summing up of the narrative is read, namely : 
" It is apparent that the successes of any importance at Queenstown, were 
achieved by the 13th infantry and a few drilled state's artillery, in all not 
exceeding 240 men, commanded bij Copt. Wool, noiv Gen. Wool." 

Now, Mr. Editor, I am of opinion that this writer has done the dis- 
tinguished soldier whom he has made the hero of his romance great in- 
jury. When histories come, I hope they will be something better worthy 
of the name than this fane// sketch. The proper exploits of Captain Wool 
at Queenstown, long and perfectly well known to the world, and perfectly 
appreciated, were sufficient of themselves for his fame and glory ; and 
this effort to falsify history in his behalf, at the expense of others who 
had some share in that affair, is calculated, so far as it has any effect, to 
mystify the whole transaction, and throw doubt over the merit that really 



286 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

belongs to him. This expedition and enterprise was under my command, 
and not under Capt. Wool's or any body else. I commanded the whole, 
not a detachment, and the whole were formed in order on the heach, not 
on the plateau; and by my order the troops charged up the bank ; they 
were not allowed to load their pieces. The enemy gave way j on the 
plateau the engagement took place, and as of course, the 13th were on 
the right, they suffered most. But I have some reason for knowing that 
this fight took place under my command, and not under Capt. Wool's, 
and that I was not quite out of all danger during the engagement. At 
any rate the enemy hit me with six bullets in the course of the fight, one 
of which I carry now in my body, by way of a remembrancer. 

The British party which had given us this brush retreated towards the 
village. But my men were still annoyed by some shots from the high 
grounds, and I ordered them to fall back under cover of a bank. I now 
found myself so much riddled that it seemed quite impossible that I 
should be able to lead the troops in person, to any further enterprise ; 
and I naturally looked about for Lieut. Col. Christie, who was my second 
in command. He was not to be found. In fact, as is well known, he had 
reti-eated without touching the British shore. The search for him occupied 
some time, and of course created considerable delay, as I was naturally dis- 
inclined to entrust the command to very young, and very inexperienced 
hands. But there were no others near me, and finally there was no other 
alternative. Capt. Wool was the senior oflacer on the ground, and he received 
my orders. I myself arranged the order of the column for the ascent, 
and marked out its course — directing its movement to the left and by a 
point of rock, which would avoid exposure and bring it on the heights in 
the rear of the battery. I ordered Lt. John Gansevoort of the artillery, 
assisted by Lt. Randolph, at the head of forty picked artillery men, to 
lead the column, and I placed Major Lush, one of my aids, in the rear, 
with strict orders to put the first man to death who should fall back. In 
this order, when all was ready, the troops filed off before me, and it was 
not till they were fairly on their way, that my strength failed me, and I 
sank to the ground. During all the delay that had occurred, and the 
arrangements for storming the heights, I had not quitted my feet (except 
when the troops were screened under the bank) ; and I had borrowed 
from Major Lush a great coat which I wore the whole time on purpose to 
conceal the extent and number of my wounds. Capt. Wool's official ac- 
count of the matter to me, is in the narrative, dated 23d Oct., 1812. 
" In pursuance of your order^ we proceeded round the point, and as- 
cended the rocks, which brought us partly in rear of the battery. We 
took it witJwut much resistance." 

I must not omit to say that the very advantage which I had sought to 
secure, by giving the artillerists the position I had assigned them in this 
enterprise — that of turning the battery on the enemy as soon as taken — 
was lost by the spiking of the cannon. Let me not be supposed to entertain 
a disposition to detract from the high merits of any brave brother. 
Wherever Capt. Wool was engaged on that trying occasion, he acquitted 
himself like a brave soldier, and a gallant man, and as such I have spoken 
of him and others in my book. But while ample justice is accorded to 
him, let no pretended historian distort facts to the prejudice of others who 
were his companions and rivals in arms that day. Lush, Gansevoort, and 
Randolph were among the number — and more daring or more enduring 
men never faced a foe. It was the conspicuous gallantry of Randolph on 



JLiEQACY OF Historical Gleanings. 287 

that occasion, that attracted the attention of the enemy, and excited the 
admiration of his brethren in arms. Let no slight or slur be put on the 
names and merits of such men. SoL, Van Kensselaer. 

Albany, Feb. 23, 1846. 

Lieut, Randolph was a lieut. colonel of a regiment in the battle of 
Buena Vista in 1847 when a son of Henry Clay was slain in the combat. 

Challenge from Peter B. Porter to Sol. Van Eensselaer. 

Messrs. Editors, Mount Hope, Jany., 1813. 

A publication in the Columbian of the 12th inst. has imposed upon me 
the task of making a statement of facts to the public, and 1 have to re- 
quest a place for it in your columns. 

The appeal of an individual to the solemn tribunal of public opinion 
is ever unpleasant, and to no one could such appeal be more irksome than 
to myself apon this occasion : To ask a new decision against a man 
already so overwhelmed with public execrations as is General Peter B. 
Porter may seem unmerciful : but he has called me before the public, 
and in justice to mi/ self (for he is unworthy the notice of any honorable 
man) I shall answer. 

General Porter complains of the statement of an affair between him and 
myself lately ma(7e in the Northern Whig. That Statement was made 
without my knowledge or approbation, direct or indirect: and I am no 
more answerable for it than I am for the palpable falsehoods in the 
Columbian to which I have referred. It is true that upon a recent occa- 
sion I did declare to Gcneral.Porter that I would, at a proper time, un- 
mask him to the world; and at that time it was my intention so to do. 
But my aversion to paper warftire, which might implicate others; and a 
perfect knowledge that this same Peter B. Porter was a pitiful Scoundrel 
and coward unworthy of my notice, had induced me to pass, in Silence, 
by a wretch wallowing in disgrace. 

To abuse any man wantonly, or to with-hold the merited reprobation of 
rascality is, to me, equally impossible. I did call Peter B. Porter a Rascal ; 
and whether that epithet was justly, or unjustly bestowed, I submit to 
candid and honorable men of all parties to decide upon the following state- 
ment of facts. In stating facts I shall avoid, as far as possible, any disclo- 
sures unfavorable to the Service, or the unnecessary implication of names. 

Soon after the Armistice was concluded [Aug. 21, 1812,] and the honor 
of the Nation, through the Commander of the Army, was pledged for the 
cessation of hostilities, and General Orders to that purport had been 
issued, General Van Rensselaer received a communication from Major 
General Hall that a British Sergeant and Six privates had been surprised 
and taken at Buckhorn Island (where they had been sometime stationed) 
by a detachment of Colonel Swift's Regiment. I was ordered to make in- 
quiry as to this breach of faith and orders, and adopt measures instantly 
to restore tlie British sergeant and guard to the place from whence they 
had been taken. The duties of this day called me from Lcwiston to 
Black Rock. I stopped at General Hall's quarters, near Niagara Falls ; 
he proposed to accompany me; and, while he was getting ready, I stepped 
over to Judge Porter's, where I found Peter B. Porter, and inquired 
whether he knew who had given orders for attacking the British guard 
on Buckhorn Island ? He told me he did not know; but said, application 
had been made to him for a boat for that purpose : that he had refused. 



288 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

unless an order was obtained from General Van Rensselaer. I observed, 
that he knew perfectly well, that no such order would have been granted; 
and that had he said one discouraging word, the enterprise would never 
have been attempted. I reminded him, that by stipulations entered into 
between General Van Rensselaer and General Sheaffe, we had fortunately 
secured the navigation of Lake Ontario ; that General Van Rensselaer had 
sent an express to Ogdensburgh to order up from thence to Sacketts Har- 
bour a number of vessels to join Capt. Woolsey, with a view of enabling 
that gallant oflBcer to get command of the Lake ; that Colonel Fenwick 
was on his way from Oswego, with cannon and a large quantity of military 
stores for Niagara ; that all this property was put in jeopardy; important 
arrangements might be defeated, and the campaign rendered abortive by 
this violation of faith pledged for the observance of the armistice ; that 
if we violated it, the British might retaliate to our loss and sorrow. 

I then returned to General Hall's quarters. We proceeded together 
to Black Rock, to which place (instead of Lewiston, which was much 
nearer) the British sergeant and guard had been sent. On our way we 
found, with mortification, that most of the small guards had been engaged 
in this disgraceful transaction. We arrived at Colonel Swift's quarters 
and dined. I asked him, by whose orders this attack had been made upon 
the British? He said he did not know; but it was by Lieutenant 
Hewett of his regiment, and the guard under his command. I told Col- 
onel Swift, the British prisoners should be immediately returned to the 
Island whence they were taken. He observed, that he believed they did 
not wish to go back; and if sent, his men would be dissatisfied, and the 
prisoners would return back again, in this opinion Dr. Wilson, the friend 
of Peter B. Porter, joined. I told Colonel Swift that should the prisoners 
return to our shore, he must immediately send them, under guard, to 
Lewiston; and I explained to him the necessity of adopting this course. 
Colonel Swift and Doctor Wilson — his surgeon — walked out of the 
room ; but soon returned, and reported to me, that the captured guard, 
excepting the sergeant, would not return alive. I observed to them, with 
some warmth, that dead or alive, they should all return, and ordered Col- 
onel Swift, by command from Gen. Van Rensselaer, to return them, and 
send down Lieutenant Hewett, the next day under arrest for trial. I then 
walked into the adjoining room and, to my surprise, found the prisoners 
in high spirits, dining at the same table from which we had just risen. 

To this shameful affair there appeared, to my mind, disgusting evidence 
that Peter B. Porter and his friends were, to say the least, accessories. 
A palpable violation of the plighted faith of the Nation, or the sacrifice of au 
army must have appeared as incidents of minorconsequence, to a man so eager 
for the prosecution of the War as to recommend to General Van Rensselaer 
to pass over from Buff^alo with a handful of men to Fort Erie, and march 
to the relief of Hull, through a fine country, and good roads of about 240 
miles; with Brock and Proctor in front, and SheaflFe in our rear. Such 
a man, among a thousand other crafty hints, might even venture to submit 
to the consideration of General Van Rensselaer, the expediency of per- 
mitting one of his sloop captains, thrown out of employ upon Lake Erie, 
to pass over into Canada on his parole as a prisoner of war, although he 
might have been a staunch loyalist, and never in any shape made prisoner ! 

On my return from Black Rock to Lewiston, I rode part of the way 
in company with some of Porter's friends; our conversation naturally 
turned upon his conduct; some of the preceding and other subjects, not 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 289 

necessary to be detailed, were discussed. I stated, that Porter had, upou 
every occasion, endeavored to throw all re«pousibility upoa General Vau 
lletisselaer, to perplex his movements and embarrass his command; that 
he had voted for the War ; but now, instead of being tlie first man to 
shew his zeal in the cause, he neglected his duty as Quarter-master- 
General. That he was seldom in camp; neglected to furnish the necessary 
supplies for bringing the war to an honorable termination ; that he cared 
not how long it might last, provided he could make his fortune by it. 
That he would not even furnish straw for the soldiers to lie upou — that 
hundreds of poor families had already been compelled to leave the 
frontiers, abandoning their little all. In short, a view of the calamities 
of the war, which this same Peter B (elligereut) Porter had exerted him- 
self to bring on, wrought up my feelings possibly to an imprudent height 
and I did say, that Peter B. Porter was a Damned Scoundrel. 

A few days after this, Dr. Wilson came down from Black Rock to 
Lewiston with a note from Porter inquiring whether I had bestowed upon 
him the epithet which had been reported to him as above stated. I told 
him I had. After a pause, he asked me where he could find me half an 
hour afterwards. I told him, in my tent. He withdrew, and in a short 
time returned again and requested that I would send a friend to meet him 
at seven o'clock that evening, at Mr. Barton's, to make the necessary 

arrangements. I told him that my friend would meet him at that 

time and place. Dr. Wilson then began to talk about my being in a pas- 
sion, and an apology. I told him I had no apology to make. The neces- 
sary arrangements were made, and a solemn pledge of secrecy given ; but 
Porter immediately communicated the affair to his partner, 5lr. Barton, 
who informed General Van Rensselaer thereof, and begged him to put a 
stop to it. General V. R. asked Mr. Barton from whom he obtained his 
information ? He answered from Porter himself: adding that I had been 
in a passion, and that Porter's friends had urged him to the measure. 

Agreeably to the arrangement entered into between Dr. Wilson and 
my iriend, they were to meet the Saturday following, at twelve o'clock, at 
a house near Tonawanda, where Dr. W. promised to have a boat in readi- 
ness to pass over to Grand Island for the purpose of locating a particular 
spot. My friend arrived there sometime before Dr. Wilson ; but found 
no boat. When the Doctor arrived he was pressed for the immediate dis- 
patch of business ; but Dr. W. — after some excuses for not having provided 
the boat, and objecting to going a mile down the river where there was a 
boat, asked my friend to go with him up into a chamber. They went up. 
The expediency of postponing the meeting was submitted by Dr. Wilson 
to my friend for various considerations, which it is unnecessary to detail. 
The proposition was at first rejected ; but at last my friend agreed to re- 
port the proposition to me and meet Dr. W. at the tavern near Niagara 
falls, precisely at eight o'clock on the Monday morning following. It 
was also agreed that if any urgent call of professional duty should prevent 
Dr. Wilson from attending, that he would transmit a note at that time and 
place with the single word " Deferred." That my friend, as I should in- 
struct him, would then finally accept, reject or qualify the proposition : 
but in any event, should the proposition be rejected, the principals with 
their friends should meet on the island at the hour which had been pre- 
viously agreed upon. My friend returned on Saturday evening and com- 
municated to me the proposition. 1 charged him to be punctual in his 
37 



290 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

attendance at the hour and place on Monday morning ; to reject the pro- 
position, and take the necessary measures for deciding the aflfair at once. 
On Sunday, before noon, Mr. Gray called on my friend at Lewiston 
with the following note from Gen. Porter. 

Sir, Black Rock, Sept. 13, 1812. 

I had no objection for the public reasons operating on both Sides to 
the principal arrangement being mutually entered into. But the very 
extraordinary and unexpected shape in which the business has been 
placed does not permit me to let it remain a moment on its jrreseiit foot- 
ing. General Gray is the gentleman whom I mentioned to you and is 
acquainted with every particular. To whatever arrangement he may 
make I shall strictly conform. yours respectfully, 

Mr. Peter B. Porter. 

This is incorrect, General Porter had never given my friend the least 
hint that Mr. Gray was to take part in this aflFair. He had indeed once 
submitted the proposition of " exchanging his friend for one of more ex- 
perience," but this proposition was no sooner communicated to me, by my 
friend, than it was rejected, and at the same time I observed to my 
friend, that Porter's only object was to give publicity to the aifair. My 
friend, after expressing his surprise at the violation of the promise of 
secrecy on the part of General Porter, stated to Mr. Gray the situation in 
which the affair was then placed by Dr. Wilson and himself; and that no 
deviation from that course would be acceded to. That the proceeding on 
the part of General Porter was so extraordinary that no attention would 
be paid to his note, nor Mr. Gray in any shape recognized. 

Mr. Gray, after contending that General Porter's note vested him with 
full power to annul the whole arrangement which had been previously 
entered into, and declaring General Porter's intention not to comply with 
it, departed. 

On Monday morning, before eight o'clock, my friend was at the house 
appointed near Niagara falls and continued there for more than an hour j 
hut Dr. Wilson did not appear, nor did he send any commnnication what- 
ever ! My friend then returned to the camp at Lewiston and reported to 
me the, final result of the affair. While I was expressing myself with 
some warmth at the rascality of Porter, General Van Rensselaer came up, 
and with some pleasantry rallied me and my friend, saying that this was 
a pretty affair, indeed. That he had been obliged for some days to keep 
a watchful eye over us ; for that he had been made acquainted with the 
affair by one of Porter's confidential friends from the first ; and had we 
attempted to leave the camp together he would have arrested us both ; and 
would still do it, if any further attempt of the kind should be made, and 
that he would immediately write Porter to that effect and treat him in 
the same manner. I then declared, that I should horsewhip the scoundrel 
for disclosing the affair, which gave rise to General Van Rensselaer's 
positive orders, to me, to drop the matter; his letter to Porter of the 
14th September, which contained similar orders, was delivered the same 
dav. Finding that I had been trifled with by Porter, and that a compli- 
ance with his demand of satisfiiction, on my part, was rendered imprac- 
ticable by repeated and pitiful evasions on his, I addressed the following 
letter to him which was delivered the same day by an officer of the U. S. 
Army, to which no answer was ever made. 



Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 291 

Col. Van Rensselaer to Oen. Porter. 
Sir, Lewiston 10 o'clock A. M. Sept. 14, 1812. 

In consequence of your message to me, several interviews were had 
between our friends ; it was at length agreed between them, that they 
should meet at the first house above the Tonawanda bridge, and proceed 
from thence to Grand Island to select a spot for our meeting. On their 
arrival at that place on Saturday, propositions to postpone the meeting 
were made on the part of your friend which could not be acceded to by 
mine without consulting me, and with that view they were to meet this 
morning, at 8 o'clock, at the Falls of Niagara. At this place, my friend 
punctually attended, and now reports, that neither your friend, or any 
apology appeared. This very extraordinary conduct on your part, together 
with the fact of your having disclosed the affair [in violation of the most 
solemn pledge of secrecy, and which has been most religiously adhered to 
on my part and that of my friend] to two or three persons besides your 
friend, and the information I have just received, that Gen. Van Rensse- 
laer was made acquainted with it, and in consecjuence of which, he has 
kept a watchful eye on all my actions — shows conclusively that you have 
trifled with me, and that it never was your intention to meet me. And 
I now declare, that if you do not make me a suitable apology, I shall, at 
a proper time publish you to the world as a Poltroon, a Coward and a 
Scoundrel ! ! I am &c. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Peter B. Porter, Esq., Q. Master Gen. M. S. N. Y. 

la this state of things my friend wrote to Dr. Wilson the following note : 

Sir, Lewiston 11 o'clock A. M. Sept. 14, 1812. 

Agreeably to the arrangement entered into with you at Tonawanda on 
Saturday, I attended punctually at eight o'clock this morning and remained 
until nine, at the tavern opposite General Hall's late quarters, near Niag- 
ara falls, to meet you or receive the note you proposed : But having been 
disappointed in both, I have reported the fact to Colonel Van Rensselaer : 
and I now deem it my duty to apprise you of the course he has adopted 
thereupon. This you will fully learn from his letter to General Porter, a 
copy of which I will furnish you if required. I am &c. &c. 

Doctor Wilson. 

About the same time General Van Rensselaer wrote to Porter a letter 
of the purport above stated ; and the three letters, were delivered by the 
same hand. 

Dr. Wilson acknowledged the receipt of my friend's letter, and General 
Porter the receipt of Gen. Van Rensselaer's letter, but I received no 
answer from Porter. 

Dr. Wilson to Major Lovett. 

Sir, _ Black Rock Sept. 16, 1812. 

I received your note at Tonawanda on Monday 4 o'clock. The Oificial 
notice given you by Gen. Gray on the 10th, closed my duties, and rendered 
the proposed meeting unnecessary. 

I am Sir, your h'ble servt, 

Major John Lovett. Natii' Wilson. 



292 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Major LoveiVs Statement. 

In the National Intelligencer of" the 17th instant, I have seen Genl. 
Porter's statement of the late affair between him and Col. Van Rensselaer. 
It is so grossly incorrect that strong reluctance must yield to that just de- 
mand which my friend has a right to make for a true history of facts. 
Such I shall give, uninfluenced by my private opinion of the parties, 
which, probably is not very difi'ereut IVom that of my fellow citizens in 
general : 

At Lewiston on the 6th day of Sept. last, (Jol. Van Rensselaer came to 
my tent, and handed me a letter which he had just received from Gen. 
Porter said he supposed there must be a little private fighting done — 
wished me to make the arrangements soon as possible, and went away. 
The letter was long — a hotchpot of respect, friendship, and hostility. The 
complaint in it was, that Col. V. R. had called Gen. Porter a "J — d 
rascal." 

Soon after I had read the letter. Col. V. R. came and handed me the 
following note : 

Dear Sir, Lewiston, 6th September 1812. 

I hand you a letter just delivered to me by Doct. Wilson from Quar- 
ter Master General Porter. You will readily perceive its object. I used 
the epithet charged, I did declare that he had been the means of bringing 
the inhabitants on the frontier into difficulty and then neglected his 
duty, by not furnishing the necessary supplies to carry on the War ; and 
have agreed that a friend should meet Doct. Wilson at Judge Barton's 
at Seven this Evening. I have to request you will do me the favor to 
meet Doct. Wilson, punctually, at the time and place appointed, and act 
as exigencies may require. I am, very respectfully your friend, &c. 

John Lovett, Esq. SoL. Van Rensselaer. 

In the forenoon of the 7th, after General Van Rensselaer and Col. V.R. 
had left the camp for Fort Niagara, Mr. Barton called on me in camp, 
and said Gen. Porter was at his house and wished to see me. I went. 
He said he had ever entertained a high respect for Col. V. R. — never had 
any misunderstanding with him before, and much regretted it now. Dr. 
Wilson asked me if I did not think that he and I, 6y acting a magnani- 
mous jiart could preserve two valuable men for the Service! I told him 
the object of our meeting was single and definite : that I had no authority 
but to locate the place of meeting. From Tonawanda returned to camp 
and reported to Col. V. R. the proposition for postponement. He in- 
stantly rejected it saying, " all the fellow wanted was to paddle off." 

[Mr. Lovett's statement, which is quite lengthy, coincides in every par- 
ticular with Colonel Van Rensselaer's.] In conclusion he says : The fore- 
going statement is tested by very full notes taken at the time. To those 
who are acquainted with Colonel Van Rensselaer, it may appear superflu- 
ous to add, that through the whole affair, his conduct perfectly comported 
with the character he has ever sustained, was such as might be expected 
from a gentleman — a man of honor — the Soldier. 
Albany, 28th Feb. 1813, John Lovett. 

" The Soldier' s friend." 
Sir, Albany March 10, 1813. 

It has been asserted by an anonymous correspondent, through the 
medium of my paper, that while the brave but unfortunate Col. Van liens- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 293 

selaer lay covered with wounds at a public house at Buffalo, His Excel- 
lency Gov. Tompkins stopped at the same house for several days : and that 
although he knew Col. Van Rensselaer to be in the house, and his life 
endangered by his wounds, received in the gallant affair of Queenstown, 
yet his Excellency, whose partizans represent him as " the Soldier's friend," 
left the house without expressing a wish to see the Colonel or making 
even the slightest en((uiry after his health. 

That conduct so cold and unfeeling on the part of the Commander in 
Chief of the Militia should be discredited on anonymous testimony, is as 
honorable as it is natural to a brave and 'i generous people, and I was not 
therefore surprised to learn, that many of my readers disbelieved or doubted 
the statement of my correspondent. As to myself, I had no doubts, because 
the affair, as represented, comported with what my own experience had 
brought me of His Excellency's character, both as a man and a Magistrate. 
It is my wish, however, and indeed I owe it to the public as an editorial 
duty, to place this affair in a true light, and having understood that you 
was the constant companion of Col. Van Rensselaer while he remained at 
Buffalo and can satisfy any doubts that may exist on the subject of this 
communication, I take the liberty of appealing to you for a correct state- 
ment. 

A speedy answer will much oblige Sir, Yours very respectfully, 
John Lovett, Esq, S. Southwick. 

Major Lovett to Solomon Southwiek. 

Sir, Albany, March 10, 1813. 

This morning I received your note requesting from me, information 
relative to the conduct of Governor Tompkins towards Col. Solomon Van 
Rensselaer while he lay wounded at Buffalo. I will very briefly state to 
you. Sir, what 1 know, and what I have understnod. Such was the sever- 
ity of Col. Van Rensselaer's wounds, that I could not move him in any 
carriage. On the 18th of Oct. part of Major Mosely's Rifle battalion 
generously offered to carry him on their shoulders, wherever he wished 
to go, if to Albany. He wished to go to Buffalo. Those generous sol- 
diers, under the command of Ensign Grosvenor, carried him to Schlosser ; 
there they got a boat on the 19th and rowed him to Buffalo. We put up 
at Landens. Several days after Gov. Tompkins arrived there — put up at 
the same house. I dined three or four days at the same table with the 
Governor. He never made any enquiry of me respecting Col. Van Rens- 
selaer's situation, I never saw him in our room, and Col, Van Rensselaer 
has often told me that the Governor never came near him, nor did he 
send any message to him. 

T am Sir, very respectfully your obt. Servant. 

Solomon Southwick, Esq. John Lovett. 

RemarTc!^. 

" After reading the above correspondence, the public will be at no loss 
to determine with what degree of justice the partizans of his excellency 
Daniel D. Tompkins have styled him ' The Soldier's friend.' 

" If there is a spectacle on earth calculated to excite the commiseration 
as well as the admiration of the generous and the brave, it is that of a 
hero nobly bleeding in his country's cause, and suffering the fortune of 
wounds received in avenging her wrongs, or defending her rights. And 
yet from such a spectacle did the commander in chief of our militia, 



294 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

while on a professional military tour, turn with averted eye, without of- 
fering a word of consolation, or the smallest aid of any kind, in alleviation 
of the brave man's sufferings. We are aware that the tools of Tyburn 
may suggest as an apology for his excellency's conduct, that Col. Van 
Rensselaer is a political opponent of his excellency. Be it so. But is a 
mere political difference of opinion to stifle the dictates of humanity, and 
render the commander in chief of an army callous to the sufferings of his 
brave, but unfortunate companions in arms ? Humanity is the brightest 
gem in the character of a soldier, and in vain shall he who does not possess 
it lay claim to that exalted character. Had not our public councils been 
guided by a mean and narrow party spirit, Col. Van Rensselaer would 
have had the command of a regiment in the regular army of the United 
States. He was recommended for that situation, previous to the declara- 
tion of war, by several republicans who thought him qualified for and en- 
titled to such command, but as we were then informed by a correspondent 
at Washington, his appointment was defeated by the petty tyrants of 
Tyburn hill, to whose remembrance of an old grudge may be attributed 
an interference, on that occasion, which deprived their country of the per- 
manent military services of one of the bravest and most experienced 
officers that ever wielded a sword in her defence. Such is the narrow 
spirit of faction which is ever brooding over imaginary distinctions, or 
indulging the spirit of malignity, to the sacrifice of the best interests of 
community. How much superior to that of our self-styled republican 
rulers, was the conduct of the Emperor Napoleon on a similar occasion. 
He wanted an engineer and had fixed his eye upon a man well qualified 
for this purpose. But he had no sooner manifested his intention 
than some sycophant, like those that swarm about Tyhnrn.^ or dangle 
at the levees of Mr. Madison, admonished him not to appoint the 
man he had his eye upon, '■ for your majesty' said the toad-eater, '■may 
rest assured that he is a jacobin' ' It is an engineer that I want,' replied 
Bonaparte coolly, and thus rebuked the impertinence and intolerance of 
the sycophant, while he secured for his army the services of a skillful and 
meritorious officer. Let our brave militia-men reflect, that if Governor 
Tompkins should be re-elected he will continue to be at least their nomi- 
nal commander in chief. But as their suffrages will either elevate him 
once more to the pinnacle of executive power, or consign him to that pri- 
vate station, for which he is best fitted by nature, it behooves them to re- 
member his treatment of Col. Van Rensselaer, for the private soldier will seek 
in vain in his distresses for the sympathetic aid of the man who could thus 
coldly and inhumanly avoid the languid couch of the wounded officer. 
We have too much confidence in the generous feelings of our honest yeo- 
manry to believe, that any suggestions of private pique or the detestable 
influence of party spirit, will be received by them as an apology for con- 
duct, thus marked by every lineament, a feature of cold blooded cruelty. 
The testimony before them, is no longer that of rumor — it rests no longer 
upon the basis of anonymous authority. Mr. Lovett was the aid-de-camp 
of General Van Rensselaer, and the constant companion of his wounded 
friend and fellow-soldier. His testimony, therefore, is conclusive, it con- 
victs the commander-in-chief of a dereliction of humanity, the brightest 
ornament of valor — it fixes the seal of delinquency upon his moral as well 
as official character — and it now remains for the ballot boxes to punish the 
delinquent." 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 295 

Gen. Porter's compassion was of the same dye : " In bis fiend-like wish 
(when he heard of my [Col. V. R.] being grievously wounded) 'that I 
might not survive my wounds,' did it emanate from an honorable man ?" 

Robert Macomb to Solomon Southwick. 
Sir. March 22, 1813. 

Observing that the conduct of Gov. Tompkins towards Col. Van Rens- 
selaer, whilst at Buffalo, has become a subject of much animadversion in 
your paper, I feel myself compelled, by a sense of justice to submit to 
you the following statement of facts. Col. John W. Livingston and myself 
accompanied Gov. Tompkins, as Aids-de-Camp, on his late tour to the 
frontiers; and in this character we arrived at Buffalo. While there his 
Excellency manifested great anxiety for the brave men who had been 
wounded at Queenston, and for Col. Van Rensselaer among others, about 
whose situation he made inquiries of the officers, and particularly of Gen. 
Stephen Van Rensselaer. Gov. Tompkins conceived that he could not 
with propriety, wait personally on Col. Van Rensselaer, without an invita- 
tion, as there was every reason to believe that a visit would be disagree- 
able to Col. Van Rensselaer; he having manifested much personal hostility 
to Gov. Tompkins on several occasions. And Gen. Van Rensselaer, and 
Mr. Lovett, who were perfectly aware of the delicate situation of Gov. 
Tompkins in this respect, did not invite him to see Col. Van Rensselaer. 
Gov. Tompkins, however ordered Col. Livingston and myself to wait on 
Col. Van R. ; and by his immediate order I took the liberty of asking Mr. 
Lovett, with whom I had no acquaintance whatever, whether I could be 
permitted to see Col. Van Rensselaer. Mr. Lovett fixed the time, when 
he was so good as to introduce me to Col. Van Rensselaer whom I had 
never seen. I passed part of the evening with him, and was happy to find 
him in all respects convalescent. Col. Livingston was also ordered to call 
on Col. Van Rensselaer. 

As the strictures which have been made on this subject, may have a 
tendency to impute to Gov. Tompkins an unfeeling neglect of our gallant 
Countryman who suffered at Queenstown, it may be well to remark (if 
the character of Gov. Tompkins need any vindication in this regard) that 
immediately after his arrival at Buffalo, he presented to the hospital de- 
partment, for the use of the sick and wounded Militia, all his private 
stores whatever, consisting of tea, sugar, coffee, liquors, smoked meats, 
and a variety of groceries which had been transported for the use of him- 
self and suite, and which could not be procured on the Niagara frontier. 
He did not retain a single article for himself. 

I beg you, Sir, to publish this note in yonr paper. 

Solomon Southwick, Esqr. Robert Macomb. 

The following letter from Col. V. R., to the editor of the Albany Re- 
gister, needs no comment. It speaks for itself and will speak home, with 
irresistible effect, to every honest and independent heart. 

Sir, _ Mount Hope, 24th March, 1813. 

In compliance with your desire and to enable you to correct some errors 
in Col. Macomb's statement, which was published in the last Register, I 
give you the following detail. 

The conduct of Governor Tompkins in not calling on me when I lay 
wounded in the same house where he was, when at Buffalo, became the 



296 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

topfc of general conversation between the Citizens and Officers at that 
place. Mr. John McComb (who so gallantly distinguished himself in 
assisting to cut out two British Sloops of War off Fort Erie) lodged in 
the same house, and shewed me much attention and friendship. He 
heard the observations made on this subject and I believe felt hurt that 
his relation, Col. Robert McComb, did not call upon me. He told me one 
afternoon that he would bring his Cousin Robert to see me if I had no 
objections. I replied that I had not any, accordingly they came in one 
evening, and remained a short time in my room. This visit was made 
the third or fourth day after the Governor's arrival, and I believe the 
very evening before he and Col. McComb left Buffalo for Albany. But I 
solemnly declare, that Col. McComb did not communicate to me any 
message from the Governor, nor did I receive one from him through any 
other channel whatever. And as for Col. Livingston, he never did call 
upon me, although he remained in the same house in which I was about 
a fortnight after the Governor had left it. While I am again very un- 
willingly drawn before the public, I deem it my duty to correct an error 
which many miuds have been impressed with ; by some it has been sup- 
posed, that I was the brother of General Stephen Van Rensselaer, by 
others his nephew, &c. But the truth is, that the relationship between 
us is very distant indeed, being that of third or fourth cousins only. My 
attachment to him therefore does not arise from this cause, but from an 
intimate knowledge of his Worth; he is amiable and brave, his feelings 
were ever alive to the sufferings of the inhabitants on the frontier; to 
the comforts of the troops, and to the honor of their arms. After the 
surrender of General Hull, when a retreat was proposed to him from high 
authority, this gallant man exclaimed with great indignation, " What ! 
shall I abandon the inhahitants to their fate ? No, I will dispute every 
inch of ground and sooner die!" 

I am very respectfully. 

Your Obt. Servt. 
Solomon Southwick, Esqr. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

" Justice is precious in all things, but a man's range is very narrow, 
and that certainly could not be called economical justice, however com- 
mendable it may be otherwise, which rights the wrongs of one party — 
or of both the parties directly involved — through gross injustice to others. 
Often these very efforts are decidedly more exasperating than edifying to 
those who are suffering in prison. Alas for the many grievous errors and 
misrepresentations that come in ignoring or disminishiug the happiness of 
others ; without once realizing that while promoting the happiness of 
others we are best securing our own. This should be the incentive to 
right action, the noblest, the most heroic and self sacrificing, and then be 
drawn near enough together to banish opprobrious epithets, and to help 
each other in a friendly spirit." 

"Albany, April 8, 1813. Last evening, about 7 o'clock as John Lovett, 
Esq., clerk of the city and county of Albany, was leaving his office in the 
Capitol, he was followed by the noted Peter B, Porter, who addressed him 
in a rude and ungentlemanlike manner, and assaulted him with a cane. 
Mr. Lovett, who is well known to be by no means deficient in manly 
spirit soon turned upon Porter, and with a small walking stick, which he 
usually carries, belabored him soundly. 

" Darby Noon, a young Irishman, residing sometimes in this city who 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 297 

liad been noticed the greater part of the afternoon prowling about Mr. 
Lovett's office in company with Porter, was attending hard by, and no 
sooner saw poor Porter reeling and staggering under the well administered 
strokes of Mr. Lovett, tlian he ran up, and violently seizing the arm of 
the latter, declaring himself the friend of both, saved his friend Porter 
from a further chastisement which he richly merited." 

The severe struggle in the country for political supremacy, hud not yet 
ceased, but these days were memorable for the asperity and violence of poli- 
tical parties. Not satisfied with discussing the principles which divided the 
federal and democratic cliques, and the merits of the respective candidates, 
low personal abuse, and libelous writings were employed to vilify indi- 
viduals. Mr. Lovett, however, was remarkable for calmness, when others 
were excited ; his conversation was always marked by good sense, ac- 
companied by a suavity of manner that made a favorable impression. His 
fracas with Porter was caused by the statement. 

" Darby Noon was a native of Ireland, and a man of great personal 
worth. When Gen. Van Rensselaer received the news of General Hull's 
surrender, he employed Captain Darby Noon, the leader of a fine com- 
pany of Albany volunteers, who were stationed at Niagara, on the im- 
portant errand of going with information of the disaster, by express, to 
General Dearborn, the senior commander in the army, whose head quarters 
at that time were at Green bush, opposite Albany, on the Hudson river. 
Captain Noon was a man of great energy, and he performed the service 
in an incredibly short space of time. He rode express all the way, chang- 
ing his horses by impressing them when necessary assuring the owners 
of remuneration from government. He neither slept on the way, nor 
tasted food excepting what he ate on horseback. When he arrived at 
Greenbush, he was so much exhausted that he had to be lifted from his 
horse, and he was compelled to remain in his bed several days. He raised 
and equipped this volunteer company at Albany, almost entirely at his 
own expense, and in 1813 was commissioned a major in the 41st regiment 
of New York State Militia. His wife was Caroline Broome, daughter of 
Lieutenant Governor Broome of New York. Major Noon survived the 
war only eight years, dying in September, 1823." 

Mr. John Lovett had been elected a representative of the state of New 
York in the 13th congress, and soon after proceeded on to Washington. 
"In conformity to a law passed February 26, 1813, preceding the inaugu- 
ration of Mr. Madison, the thirteenth congress assembled on May 21th, 
and Henry Clay was chosen speaker of the house." 

Hon. John Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

Dear Sir, Philadelphia 18th May, 1813. 

I arrived here last evening in good health and spirits, excepting the 
miserable hangings upon shoulders, head, hips and ribs received from the 
constant starboard and larboard lurches of the stage ; a considerable part 
of the road is the worst I ever saw in a Chrhtian land. The road is lit- 
erally cut hub deep, and wagons innumerable passing and repassing from 
Trenton to New York with goods. I certainly speak within bounds, when 
saying that we yesterday passed more than 200U Barrels of Flour on the 
way to New York. Every hut, blacksmith's shop, house, shed and hovel 
is filled with flour — 10, 20, 60, 100 Barrels in u place, and piled on the 
sides of the road, and many loads thrown down iu the mire. Such are 

38 



298 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

facts, you may communicate them as such to our Wheat-holders, they may 
take these things into account in making up their calculations. Genl. 
Van Rensselaer is in the city, I shall try to find him this afternoon. In 
the present awfully distracted condition of the affairs of our country, it 
would lie worse than idle and vain for me, an unfledged politician, to risk 
any opinion as to the mighty events which will most probably be com- 
pressed into the next six months. As to the great question of Peace or 
War, Mr. Parish says the Administration can do nothing else hut make a 
Peace. 

Washington May 25, 1813. 
The Papers will tell you all I can write of general news. All is calm as 
yet. We take our seats and look most significantly grave and dignisi- 
mously wise at one another. It will be idle for me to send you the Mes- 
sage, the Birds of the air will outfly the Mail. Yours &c. John Lovett. 

John Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 
My dear Sir, Washington June 12th, 1813. 

The House have held out so late, in an awful squabble upon the Election 
between Hungerford and Taliaferro of Virginia, that I have scarcely time 
to tell you, (after swallowing my green Beans whole,) that I am alive and 
well. In this horrid region of turmoil, I can give you nothing new more 
than what you see in the Papers. The Budget you have seen. Whether 
the People will quietly back it, is the great question. I think I can dis- 
cover that the Majority doubt : doubt whether they shall win the Saddle^ 
and ride, completely caparisoned to the d — 1 ; or loose their Horse, and 
trudge the same journey, on foot : humeihey must go. This stride must, 
I think either establish, or overthrow their power. Poor, deluded Ame- 
rica ! All are looking to Congress for relief! Strange infatuation ! Don't 
they know that we came together for the express purpose of increasing 
their burdens ? Wretchedly loyal People : so long had they been governed 
by wisdom and integrity : so long had they been accustomed to look to 
the God of their Fathers, and to their liulers for deliverance in times of 
deep distress, that the habit is rooted in their very souls — they cannot, 
they will not believe that the sceptre is transferred to the hands of knaves 
and fools. Like the affectionate Mother Bird, so attached to the Nest .she had 
built with great toil, and where her darling treasure was lately deposited, that 
when robbed of all by some ruffian, she still abides by her nest; wailing, 
but in hope, that her loss may be restored, her grief assuaged and her joys 
rekindled. Idle hope ; her moan is vain, she but wastes her strength for 
naught, and when feeble and emaciated, the ruffian who despoiled the 
heart's treasure will seize and cage her. But my heart swells. I forbear. 

Presuming that Johnny Cook is dead, I only wish to know if his friends 
mean to give Scarfs ? 

An Express tells us, there are 27 of the Enemy's ships in the Chesa- 
peake and mouth of the Potomac ! We don't mind it, for one, I am pre- 
pared to fight a little, then run as usual. I will put this in, not to flatter 
you, but to do justice to the good heart of a true friend. At dinner on 
Sunday at T. Wallace's house, he introduced me to several Merchants from 
New York. Of Green Peas, and huge Cucumbers with young Potatoes I 
say nothing, for they are all the while before us. Our Desert was Straw- 
berries as big as grape shot, and cream. 

Tommy had got his Bottle of Madeira, in the cooler, slyly between his 
feet. He raised it up at proper time, and with triumphant hand, urged 



Legacy of Historical Gleanhstqs. 299 

me to take a glass, I declined, saying it will make me sleepy. " Never 
miud," says Tommy, " we'll drink one glass to Alexander." With this 
we all filled, (I understood him.) Our toast was given — the Gentlemen 
made some observations pointed toward Rmsia. " No, no," says Tommy, 
" that's not the man I mean, I mean JonepJi Alexander — my worthy friend 
at Albany," so we all drank Yourself. Now, Sir, as you have become 
the Toast at a public table in Washington, I advise you to marry as soon 
as possible, otherwise you may fare the same fate as Tommy says I must. 
He says I stand so unreasonably high in this country that I must fall. 
Give me my hearing, and a little time and I'll try to prevent it. 

John Lovett. 

June 17, nasty Sketch of Proceedings. 

Mr. Hopkins, from Ontario, presents the petition of Ponieroy of Buffalo, 
praying an enquiry into the conduct of the Troops who destroyed his pro- 
perty, and prays remuneration therefor. Mr. H. prays it may be referred 
to a Select Committee. Mr. Fisk, of New York, opposes the reference, and 
moves that the Petition lie on the table — saying that tliis House has no 
authority to enquire into Riots committed hy Soldiers in the DISCHARGE 
OF THEIR DUTY ! " 

M. Goldsborough. — Maty, advocates the Reference, and gives a humorous 
criticism upon Mr. Fisk. Mr. Comstock calls for reading of the Docu- 
ments. Mr. Hopkins very ably and eloquently urges the reference upon 
sound and broad principles. Mr. Fisk perseveres in his opposition. One 
(whom I don't know) adverts to the Petition presented, last session, by the 
inhabitants of the Indian Territory, praying remuneration for destruction 
by Mounted Riflemen, that petition was refused — and the Report was in 
favor of it. Mr. Fisk having insinuated that Pomeroy produced the Riot 
by intemperate expressions respecting the war : upon this, Mr. Grosvenor 
animadverts with some severity. Motion that Petition lie on the table 
negatived. Riot motion for reference to Common Claims carried by 
small majority. 

The businessof the morning being disposed of, Mr. Webster's Resolutions 
are called up. Gen. Wright takes the floor. I hear his noise, but under- 
stand him not, nor do I think he understands himself. I have just been 
across the house, out of curiosity to hear Wright; and I can with great 
truth say, as the honest German did of the smell of the Polecat : " ven I 
vas kood vays off I smell'd em mighde sdrong : ten I comes up glose py 
em, and, py der divils kite, he sdankt so dat I coud zmell noding unter 
Cot's heavens." Wright having blown out, as Furnace men say, Farrar 
raises his quandom ministerial tone ; but, forgetting that he has changed 
the desk for a legislative floor, he makes a little too free with Man's Motives. 
Mr. Speaker calls him to order ! He concludes by motion for indefinite 
postponement. [Henry Clay was speaker.] Mr. Oakley — will not attempt 
to reply, to the observations of the Hon. Gentleman from Maryland, hav- 
ing understood that the Hon. gentleman has been considered as privileged 
to say many things to which no gentleman on this side the House is under 
any obligation to reply. I can assure you that this is a proud day on the 
floor for New York. Not a man on this floor has been listened to with 
more attention than Mr. Oakley ; and Mr. Hopkins acquitted himself very 
handsomely. 

More and more : Oakley has both Heels and Bottom, he is masterly. 
He is prompt, luminous, pointed. In the most shrewd and cunning 



300 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

manner, he assails the President, yet in such cautious phraseology, that 
no old Foxes can check him. In discussing the question whether the 
Executive of the H. S. has been in the habit of brooking insult, Oakley, 
in the happiest manner reviews the scene with Jackson, he paints to us 
the fire and rage excited even by the ^^suspicion of an Insinuation of 
an INSULT !" I confess, says Oakley, that it would give me heartfelt 
satisfaction, to see the Forehead of the French Government branded with 
a Falsehood. Oakley consumes one hour. And more glory to New 
York, Grosvenor takes the floor in style. I stand, says Gr.,on the freehold 
of the Constitution, and so standing, I will speak plainly, but decorously, 
and from my stand, I will never be removed without one hard struggle. 
I find so much to admire in the comprehensive view which Grosvenor 
takes, that I note not particulars — he is as usual able, and elegant. The 
little French Secretary sits shrugging his shoulders while his Court is 
branded with every kind of epithet. Grosvenor occupies the floor for 
half an hour. It is hotter, in this house, than purgatory. I can no 
more, only say that it is now 3 P. M. — the Majority are sorely pressed. 
The Speaker has placed a substitute in the Chair and I suspect has been 
half an hour canvassing with the heads of his Squad how they can get 
out of this scrape with least disgrace ; for disgraced, you may rest assured, 
they must be in the result of this discussion. Should we carry the Reso- 
lutions, they must cut — should they strangle them, the Nation must draw 
the inference. Democracy sees and dreads the daily increasing diflSculties; 
it is visible in our house, and in the Senate there are serious divisions. 
The disasters which I know must happen on the Frontiers in this campaign 
must shake the Nation to the centre. Our expenditures are now $6,000,000, 
yes Six Million per month ! Grosvenor closes near 4 p. M. Mr. Grundy 
says the question has taken a vast range and nine on both sides ought to 
have an opportunity to speak. Move is for adjournment — the question 
will occupy one, if not two days more. I am a little afraid Grosvenor 
has taken some grounds a little too high, and that he may, possibly, be 
assailed. As one of the Executors of Johnny Cook, you will tell our 
friends all I know. John Lovett. 

Mr. Joseph Alexander. 

One of Mr. Lovett's early friends, " Mr. Herman Knickerbocker, author 
of the veracious history of New York, was another gentleman of the law — 
a lineal descendant of Dederick Knickerbocker; he was well known as 
' the Prince of Schaghticoke.' When in 1812 he represented the county 
of Rensselaer in congress, it was quite natural that Mr. Madison, then 
president, should have inquired of one representing not only the county, 
but the Dutch dynasty, what was the difference between the Reformed 
Dutch church and Presbyterians ? The reply could not have been im- 
proved by Dederick himself; as veracious as anything contained in the 
history of his venerable ancestor, he said : ' The one sang long metre, the 
other sang short metre.' " ^ 

' Representatives of the state of New York in the 13tli Congress : John Lefferts, 
Ebenezer Sage, Egbert Benson, Jotliam Post, Jim., Peter De Noyelles, Thomas 
J. Oakley, Thomas P. Grosvenor, Jonathan Fisk, Abraham Hasbrouck, Samuel 
Sherwood, John Lo'eett, Hosea MofRtt ; Oliver C. Comstock, Samuel M. Hopkins, 
Morris S. Miller, Daniel Avery, Nathaniel W. Howell, James Geddes, Moses 
Kent, Alexander Boyd, &c., &c. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 301 



Hon. John Lovctt to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

My dear Colonel, Washington, June 22, 1813. 

A thousand times you have exclaimed, '' Why in the name of friend- 
ship, don't Lovett write me V Ah ! and two thousand times, Lovett says, 
" today, I will write the Colonel." But, precisely what old Doctor Fhivel 
said of his conduct in a shipwreck, any member of Congress might, with 
great propriety, say here : " We were all busy in doing nofJiiMg, and did, 
we knew not what." Again, I did not like to write you, until I could 
say something as to the material point : and, as to that, I assure you, 
there is such diversity of sentiment, as really embarrasses me. Mistake 
me not. All admit the merit, the claim, the justice, the talents : all are 
willing, and wish to serve; but most doubt as to what will really serve. 
Judge Benson says, " yes, Sir — yes, yes, Sir — something must be 
done in that business : but. Lord, Sir, you see nothing can be done, Sir, 
this Session : not at all, Sir, that matter, Sir, must rest until the Winter 
Session, Sir, yes; nothing, now, Sir." 

German says, "I hardly know what is best, we must consult 'round a 
little and see how matters are like to turn." I could have wished to see 
Mr. King [Rufus King] on the subject, for I can assure you he is, here, 
the very Oracle even with Democracy. I think they would be heartily 
glad to hustle poor Madison, [James Madison, President] and this scant- 
patterned old skeleton of a French Barber, Gerry [Elbridge Gerry, Vice 
President] off hand and make Mr. King factotum in all things. But un- 
fortunately, I missed the General, in Philadelphia, and missed a single 
line to Mr. King, which T had intended to solicit. The plain truth is, 
that Federalists do not like to have you go into the Army : especially as 
they calculate, with moral certainty that the campaign is to close with 
defeat, and total disgrace. One thing has settled my mind as to the course 
I ought to pursue : it is asserted, upon high authority, that Wilkinson is 
soon to be here. Dearborn's blunders in this Campaign, particularly in 
suffering the little army at Fort George to escape, thereby laying the 
foundation for the capture of Gens. Winder and Chandler on June 6th, 
and leaving the way open for Proctor's Retreat, and junction with the 
army at the head of the Lake, create great heart burnings here : and you 
may rest assured I make the most of them — indeed some say. that my 
particular knowledge of the country enabled me to begin them. But you 
will instantly say, " what can i/ou say on the subject ? " Why, Sir, people 
here, love Pork so well that they eat Fig- Yokes : not a man, here, will 
dispute a Military opinion advanced by a soldier who has served three 
months under General Van Rensselaer and served as half a Second, 
in more than half a Duel with Col. Van Rensselaer ! Zounds, Sir, this is 
thought service, complete Military Education at Washington, liut, to 
the point, Wilkinson did make every efl'ort for you, here, last spring : he 
did assure the Administration that there was not an Officer in the United 
States so competent, as yourself, to Command a Regiment of Dragoons. 
I shall Wait Wilkinson's arrival, and although I despi.se the wretch, iu 
my soul, will try to use him. You know that no calculations can be made 
as to the movements of " the Powers that be : " the whole play is Blunder 
upon Blunder; and who can tell where a blunderer will fall ? But from 
present appearances, I think it very probable that Wilkinson will super- 
sede Dearborn : I shall watch this movement : for if Wilkinson goes 
to the North, you will doubtless, I think, go with him: and you will 



302 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

both : but I had better reserve my prophecy until I see you. At 

present, I will only quote the expression of old Col. Lewis, the St. 
Regis Chief when last winter with us ; " Crooked war — Crooked v^^v — 
this is a dreadful crooked war ! " 

Although you write me nothing, still I know your movements, on the 
14th instant, in the morning, you and your Daughter left New London ; 
and what do you think the fools here say you went for ? Why, to fight Ad- 
miral Hardy ! [of the British Squdron.] " Ah, ha;" say they, " Hardy 
will have wit enough to keep off as long as Col. Van Rensselaer, Decatur, 
and Huntington are here with Continental Troops." On the whole, if 
you were not, constitutionally just as you are, absolutely insatiable of 
military fame, I should most heartily advise you never again to step foot 
in the field of Mars; for you must have great good fortune ever to get a 
single peg higher; to say nothing of the chances of falling lower. I 
think any modest man ought to be satisfied with the place you hold in 
the Battle of Queenstown, as it is now exhibited in Boston. Do you know 
why they didn't put me in too ? Why, the poor stupid devils could find 
no Artist who knew how to represent a Deaf man ! Curse their stu- 
pidity : why, could not they have represented me as I sit in the House, 
here, with one hand behind my ear, with my neck twisted one way, and 
my eyes the other ? And, if that were not sufficiently intelligible, hang 
a Lahel upon my ear with a " this is the Deaf old Soldier." But, to be 
serious : I hear something better than I did, but almost despair of my 
right ear coming to; at any rate, I would at a venture commute my left 
arm for it. 

I can assure you. Sir, that could I lay aside the solicitude inseparably 
connected with the deplorable state of our country I should find my situa- 
tion this summer very different from the last. I have located myself, by 
myself; I mess with no one ; have an excellent cool chamber ; a never 
failing fountiiin of good water at the foot of the piazza stairs ; cold and 
warm baths only twenty rods off at the moderate rate of 85 for the Session. 
The furniture of my chamber was the British Minister Jacksons ; then 
used by Mr. Quincy and now mine. There are a number of Democrats 
who lodge under the same roof. I am sociable with, but we neither eat 
nor drink together. Among them is old Gen. Tannehill and Col. Piper 
of the Pennsylvania Militia who were at Buffalo last fall ; they possess the 
highest esteem for Gen. Van Rensselaer, and wonder how he ever got 
along so well as he did. Indeed I have never heard the tongue of man speak 
of the General here, but with great respect. The other day, when Stephen's 
presentation to the Empress of France was announced, they came all cack- 
ling round me to ask if he was not the Son of the General V. R. General 

now of Pittsburgh, formerly Quarter-Master of Wayne's Army, was 

lately here, and charged me to mention him to you. Let me hear from you, 

Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, John Lovett. 

Adjutant General, Albany. 

John Lovett to ISol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Washington, July 16, 1813. 

I have this moment received your letter of the 11th instant. I have 
but a single minute to answer it, nor am I in writing mood — after we had 
been steeped in Tax Bills for five hours, the doors wet-e closed and we 
were boiled and roasted three hours longer ; almost to suffocation ; and 

' St. Regis was au Indian village on the ' Line ' attacked Oct., 1813. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 303 

the cursed old fashioned Militia popping of the Sentinels, through the 
night deprived me of sleep. You know we had war all day yesterday in 
the District of Columbia : today we have pretty peaceable times again. 
As to the main point Wilkinso^i is constantly expected here ; and the 
voice of all here is that he must command at the North. I advocate it, 
provided that Boi/d and t/oic will serve under him. I can make a power- 
ful party for this, should Wilkinson arrive before T leave this. 

In a Democratic Paper published at Alexandria, to day, I saw from au 
English account, the character of Brock — comments on his glorious fall ; 
and the desperate valor 0/ those who made the attack. I can't, again, find 
the paper. I think we shall adjourn in ten days. 

Don't you know that in the Panorama, at Boston, they have the Battle 
of Queenstown ; and the full length Portrait of Yourself ? Do you under- 
stand ? 

Stop — Slap : here comes closed doors again at 4 o'clock. We shall all 
get thin at any rate, steeping 8 hours per day. 

Yours ever, most truly. 

Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer. John Lovett. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

Interesting Letters from Washington. 

Jolm Lovett to Joseph Alexander. 

My dear Sir, Washington, July 17, 1813. 

I shall write you but a line to day. We have for several daj/s been 
bamboozled for 7 or 8 hours per day with closed doors &c. &c. And as 
many nights by the yells and popping of our undisciplined Patrols ; this 
kind of life has thrown a number of us aback and myself among the rest. 
I am not sick, but so far from being ivc/l, that for the first time during 
the Session, I had to hire myself hacked to the Capitol. I shall be well 
in two days, probably in one. As to our alarm, it has not entirely sub- 
sided : the enemy's ships, five or six of them, lay about 70 miles below 
us — at anchor — wind ahead. I have always supposed that if an attack 
should be made upon this place, it would be from the vicinity of Annapolis. 
It is said the enemy are now, in considerable force in that neighborhood, I 
therefore think it rather probable that an attack is still intended, and that 
the two movements are in concert. Notwithstanding the Report of our 
Com. on Military Affairs, we are, here, almost as defenceless as Albany. 
A few hours will probably decide whether we shall sit, run, or Jight. The 
enemy back of Fort George have lately driven in our Picket Guard, killed 
some, and took 40 or 50 men attenipting to reinforce the guards. They 
have also crossed over to Black Rock and destroyed the stores we had there 
and done other mischief The Post Master General., this morning relating 
these tilings exclaimed " It does seem as if the very Devil is our luck!" 



304 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The Chairman of the Com. on Naval Affairs has this morning introduced 
a Resolution to hold out strong encouragement to private armed ships : or 
stript of disguise, to Lore a hole through the Non importation Law, large 
enough to throw a little money (enough to pay funeral charges) in the hands 
of the Admin, and, the Monopoli/ into the hands of Ships Cousins. And 
now we come to a Division on the adoption of the Resolution — Ayes 
56 — Noes 52. 

This Resolution embraces leave to bring in a Bill, and when it shall come 
in there will be kicking. We want Peace, or War, no mungrel state of 
Hostile Commerce, calculated at once to debase ourselves, and to answer, 
precisely, the object of Great Britain. I don't know but I deceive myself, 
but it appears to me this is going to open a hole to crawl out. Only ad- 
vert to the practicability of an understanding between Importers and Pri- 
vateers, &c., &c. 

Ques : Is this the way to get Blankets and Coats for our Soldiers ? Good 
Moses ! if a man wants to learn about a Dilemma, place him in a situation 
like the present. On a motion for the indefinite postponement of this 
Bill, Grosvcnor rises again, and you may rest assured that by a peculiar 
species of candor, facetiousness and accommodation : a sort of indescribable 
mixture of tenderness and severity ; of nettles and cookies ; daggers and 
balsam he is heard with great attention, and if an^ body could be regarded 
he would gain headway. 18^^. Although I verily believe there is not 
upon the face of the earth a nation which would feel less solicitude at the 
jeopardy of their Capitol than the U. S., still as I cannot be sure that you 
all feel a perfect indifference, I endeavor to keep you apprised of the wag 
of the war. As yet the Capitol is standing, and Congress are neither 
killed nor taken; but many, I may say a disgraceful number are missing. 
I have all along said, if the enemy meant to attack this place at all, it 
would be from the vicinity of Annapolis, and that the sounding, and buoy- 
ino- the Potomac was a preparatory measure for securing their Retreat by 
that route should it be necessary. Now, sir, the enemy are all out of the 
Potomac. Possibly before I close this letter, at evening, we may hear 
more on this subject. If the Dogs are coming at all, I hope it may be 
before adjournment, that we rray at least get the honor of a peep at them. 
We shall probably adjourn the 2nd of August. I think present appear- 
ances, in the movements of the enemy, rather warrant the conclusion, that 
they mean to harrass, weaken and wear down, rather than risk much in 
bold and hazardous dashes; they will try to tucker out the Antient Dom- 
inion. I understand they have an excellent Rendezvous at the mouth of 
the Potomac, on an Island, where they have plenty of Beeves, Sheep &c. 
All accounts agree that they are recruiting rapidly from the Plantations; 
the Negroes desert in droves, and are kindly received, put in companies, 
uniform, armed and all. Possibly they will, by and by, be able to march a 
Reo-iment through some sections of the country collecting more Volunteers. 
At any rate there begins to be loud howling on this subject. You have 
seen Coleman's comments upon the present state of New London. I was 
going to say there is a deep game playing on this subject. But I have almost 
done imputing to the Heads of Departments any thing like deep game, 
scheme, or plot. Every day their movements convince me, more and more, 
that (excepting some plan and concert as to the preservation of their Popu- 
larity) all is blunder upon blunder; the blind result of sheer ignorance, 
stupidity and total incapacity. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 305 

Now I will toll you what I know as to the arraagemeats at New London. 
On the 11th iust. Gen. Huntington arrived here with instructions from 
Gen. Smith to enter into certain arrangements with the Secretary at War, 
as to the future defense of New London and the Squadron. On the morn- 
ing of the 12th, he called upon the Sec. of War, to know lohrn the subject 
would be taken up. 9 o'clock, on the morning of the 13th was agreed 
upon. Gen Huntington with Messrs Dana and Dagget of the Senate, 
attended. Payment to the State of Connecticut for the Expedition was 
pretty readily acceded to — the Pay-master was to be immediately sent on, 
and the Commissary, and Quarter Master's accounts to be adjusted !siQ,. 

The proposition from Gen. Smith was to laud the crews of the Squad- 
ron ; post part of them at tlie forts, and part on the high grounds back 
of tlie Squadron, and dismiss part of the Militia, retaining 'part still in 
service. The Sec. of War would not do this without consulting the Sec. 
of the Navy — he was called in ; but did not choose to decide the matter 
until he could advise with Cora. Decatur. And so the Council broke up ; 
and on the morning of the l-lth, Gen. Huntington left this for New York 
and Poughkeepsie, from there to cross over to Sharon, and report to Gen. 
Smith. Now you find that on the \st of this month, the Sec. of War had 
ordered the commanding officer at New London to dismiss all the Militia ; 
and that, too, while the State of Connecticut was actually drafting a new 
Detachment to relieve the old. I have been the more particular on this 
subject that you may be prepared to vindicate the conduct of Conn, and 
place the blame where it ought to fall, should any disaster befal the squad- 
ron, as present appearances warrant apprehension. Conn, don't mean to 
defend the Navy without money that's the business. I believe there is 
no doubt of the affair at Fort George and Black Rock ; old Varnum has 
got a squally letter from his son at Niagara, but he will tell none of us 
the particulars. 

2 P M. — Trouble, trouble, trouble again. Here comes a foaming Express ! 
the enemy's fleet, strongly reinforced, " 48 Sail are standing up the Po- 
tomac with a fair wind ! " The President and Secretary of War [Gen. 
Armstrong] both wrote answers — and away went the return Express, full 
speed J And to enhance the terror, the natural world seemed to lend its 
aid to the military ; for we were in the midst of a tremendous thunder 
gust. I said, " I mean to keep cool at least until T can see the enemy ; and 
then I will promise one of three things; to fight ; run; or adopt Sancho's 
creed, and take care of my ivallet." I think the latter corps will get the 
most Volunteers from Congress. To show how well we manage every 
thing, we need only observe movements : an excellent Company of Rich- 
mond Volunteers marched by, an hour ago, on their way to Sackett's 
Harbor. There may be a squally night ahead — but thank heavens, not 
worse than I have seen and much less responsibility. 

Yours ever truly 

Mr. Joseph Alexander, Albany. John Lovett. 

John Lovett to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Colonel, Washington July 27, 1813. 

I hope you will do me the justice to recollect that I am literally buried 
up in correspondence and other duties. We may adjourn within a week. 
It is my determination to wait here until Wilkinson arrives; which will pro- 
bably be by the 10th August — it may be before. It is time, both on account 
39 



306 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

of your years, interest, inclination, and every thing, to have the matter set- 
tled whether you shall be restored to the Army, or confine all your future 
views and arrangements to civil life. Vibrating between the two, has long 
injured you essentially, and will continue to injure you until settled. You 
may think me rash to attempt this affair alone, but after all is said and 
done, I am the only one lolio knows yov, and that insatiable thirst for Mili- 
tarij Fame with which Nature has blest, or curst (call it as you please) ^om. 
What may be the influence of Tompkins, Spencer, and Jenkins here, I 
know not; I shall try it. 

You will notice in the Intelligencer of yesterday. Gales animadversions 
upon the conduct of the Democrats in the Senate, relative to Gallatin — this 
is a fire brand — they call Gales a d — d little mischief making '■'■English- 
man.^' " Tha's na look about the oose," to day. Nelson and Eppes are 
by the ears — Nelson, as Chairman of the Committee on Naval Affairs, has 
brought in a Bill for remitting duties on goods taken by '' Private Armed 
Vessels." He thunders, and stamps, and slaps his desk, and tells us the 
" sj)irit of Privateering is paralyzed and never will rise withoid GREAT en- 
couragement." Now all this is admitted. Alarm has blown over ; our 
troops returned from below to day. We have passed the Bill authorizing 
another loan of $7,500,000. As this bill sailed thro' the house it was raked 
fore and aft, until hardly a Democrat would stay at his quarters. Pitkin 
entered, at length, into the situation of our Finances. The awful tale made 
long faces. The poor, poor, poor devils do not know what to do. When 
pressed on every side with damning truths, the usual expedient is for some 
Bawler to rise, strain his eyes open, slap his desk, and in distracted Screams 
to appeal to us all to know if we will give up our rights — surrender our 
Independence, and become eternal slaves to Britain ? I think they will 
adopt the sentiment in Armstrong's toast " Sink the Ship rather than 
give it up." Wilkinson will command the Northern Army. 

Chapin, I see, has made his escape with his company, he may tell us some 
truths. On a number of pretty important party questions lately decided, 
Taylor, Hasbrook and Comstock, of our State — Durall, a fine spunky 
little fellow from Kentucky — Calhoun and some of their cyphers voted with 
us — nay they fought their brethren Black Snake and Crow. In one very 
important instance (no matter what or when) the Committee of Foreign 
Relations reported in the very teeth of a Recommendation of the President ! 
This was the d — 1. Mr. Speaker stared — expressed his astonishment. So 
servile are the Majority, that the little booby at the palace, is as much a 
despot as the Dey of Algiers. Our House have this day agreed to the 
amendment proposed by the Senate to the Direct Tax bill as respects the 
City of New York ; the Senate took off about 870,000 from the City and 
divided it among the counties. I think it will remain as it is — on New 
York : alias on De Witt Clinton. The News, confirmed, from Europe, re- 
lative to Armistice, you doubtless have. 
July 27 th. 

" And all is hush, 
" Save the dull roar, which previous to the storm, 
" Rolls o'er the earth, disturbs the flood, and shakes 
" The forest leaf without a single breath." 

So the sweet Bard, Thompson, sung of the Natural world : and so the 
Supaan-fed ,bard would this morning sing of the Military and Political 
world. Nothing stirring. The Senate sat all day yesterday with closed 
doors — we are every moment expecting to hear from them. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 307 

Now let's you and I, old soldiers, talk war a little. You know (for I take 
it you know every thing which I do, and a great deal more.) Here comes 
a Dash! go on — go on — go on — and borrow money — $10,000,000, 
$7,500,000 — and as much more as you please, and the " Ships Cousins" 
will take a liberal Toll of every grist. Here comes a Bill making appro- 
priation for the Oufjit of our Minister to Russia ; and among the rest ; 
" ho : began, Monsieur Thompson come again !'' About the year '98 John Q. 
J-'/a??is was sent to Berlin — an Onfjit of $dOOQ : then to Russia, an Oufjit 
of §9000 ; and now, while the same Scamp J. Q. A. is naturally I'sfitted 
at Russia at -a salary of S9000 per annum, he must have an OuT/ti; of 
$9000 more ! While this same Brat was Ghanje de Affairs at Holland 
he had a semi outfit of $4,500. President Washington appointed him as 
Minister to Lisbon : his father, Old John, came into power, and changed 
the destination of his son ; he sent him to Berlin — his other half of the 
outfit was then added, to wit, $4,500 more, and this same J. Q. A., ex- 
pressed his entire satisfaction therewith, and this good old Timothy 
swears. When Mr. Thomas Pinckney was sent, after Jay's Treaty, to 
Spain, to adjust with the Spaniards the Navigation of the Mississippi and 
Deposit at New Orleans, then he had an additional salary, but no outfit. 
The Constitution speaks of outfit to a Minister going from the U. S. 
When, in 1795, it became necessary for us to have a Minister in England 
to exchange the Treaty then lately negotiated, President Washington 
ordered Old John Adams from the Hague to London for the purpose 
aforesaid. Money was then placed in the hands of a Banker to pay Old 
John's Expenses; but no Outfit. After being beat and banged all 
round by the few stiff barked Feds who remain, the Bill passes to allow 
Adams $4500, for just a great 0. Thank Heaven, the House adjourns, 
and no news from the Senate ! every day counts. 

This afternoon, Nelson, otherwise called jEjIus moved a Resolution for 
the appointment of a Committee to report the Honors to be conferred on 
the memory of the Heroes, who laid down their lives for their country, 
and Provision to be made for their Families. But as we had previously 
voted all our money away to buy Furniture for Mrs. Madison, and gew 
gaws for J. Q. A., we let Nelsons Resolution Ue on the Table. 

Hear ye — hear ye — hear ye ! 

All grades of Heroes who loish to lay down their lives for their country 
in this righteous and honorable war, are desired to repair immediately to 
the standard of their Country and repeat the creed of the noble Scotch 
Laird Lovat ^'■.Dulce et decorum est pro pair ia mori;" then back their 
creed by death, and they shall share the same fate with Lawrence and 
Pike. 

My dear Colonel, Washington August 2, 1813. 

We adjourn to day — every thing is in such abuzz that I can write you 
nothing of general concerns, indeed we have nothing new. Let me. how- 
ever, tell you and our friends a great truth in a very few words. I know 
you will only say Lovett is always too ardent, and credulous ; but my life 
f6r it you will find me correct. Never have the weights been so rapidly 
shifted from the bad to the good scale as within the last week. While 
Executive Omnipotence could hurl the bolts of destruction to any man who 
dared resist, men dared not speak, or vote their opinions. But now, since 
the Embargo Law [•' Which prohibited the sailing of any vessel for any 



308 Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings. 

foreign port; except foreign vessels, with sucli cargoes as they had on 
hoard when notified of the act, was speedily followed by a supplement 
prohibiting exportations by land, whether of goods or specie"] has been 
killed, and the cursed substitute, N(m Expoi-tatiun Act strangled, in our 
house. Democrats do talk and act like men I assure you. Not another act 
for Commercial Restriction can be carried The Bow has been over- 
strained, and mark me, will never carry again. Duvall, of Kentucky, one 
of the noblest fellows they have, and Bibbs the Senator, agreed that it 
would not do to oppose Commerce any longer, and say that 71010, nine- 
tenths of the Western and Southern People will vote Navy an'd Commerce. 
General Wilkinson arrived bere in the night of the 31st. On the morn- 
ing of the 1st. (yesterday) I addressed him a note, getting no answer, I 
this morning addressed another note to him, I received the answer in- 
closed. ["Genl. Wilkinson will have the Honor to wait on Mr. Lovett 
in one Hour, or perhaps half an hour. 8 o'clock, Monday Morning."] 

To show myself very gracious, instead of waiting his call, /called at 
his lodgings : met him at the door, on his way to my lodgings. He was, 
in a moment all gaiety, debonair, and polite, though pressed with com- 
pany, he excused himself and took me to a private room. He would 
hardly permit me to introduce you to him ; saying that I must permit him 
to say, he knew Colonel Van Rensselaer better than any other man. Par- 
ticulars are needless; sufiice it to say, he is head, heart and hand, most 
devotedly yours. He is making up his mind as to taking command of the 
Northern Army, considers the responsibility infinite, that he must con- 
quer or die ; lose all his fame, or acquire more ; that he will not under- 
take until he can be assured of the means to be put into his hands. He 
says thus, " If I am to assume that command I must have 1000 fine fellows 
mounted, with Muskets, and commanded by just such an Officeras Solomon 
Van Renssc/acr." 1 hinted softly^ at some reasons why the administration 
had not called you to the field ; and expressed the sense you entertained 
of the General's regard for you while your pretensions were under con- 
sideration. He said he would avail himself of an early opportunity to 
inform me of the reason why you were not appointed. Mutual engage- 
ments parted us, he will call on me this evening. Now keep yourself cool, 
don't expect any thing, then all that's gotten will be clear gain. I regret 
that Wilkinson had not been here a day or two sooner, that we might 
have so modified the laws we have been passing authorizing more force, 
as to have embraced such a Corps as he contemplates ; but I believe we 
have an act that will substantially embrace it, with less stretching than is 
customary in these days. At any rate I have now got the subject fairly 
in hand, and 1 will not quit it until I have seen a fair trial of the influence 
of your friends, against that of Tyburn. I told you I would try it, and 
tried it shall be. As I may stay here yet several days, I leave it to you 
to explain the reason as far as you may think proper. It is impossible to 
write — all is bustle. You and I have been often disappointed that once 
more, will be but once more, therefore keep quiet till you hear from me 
again — Interim. Truly Yours, 

Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Mount Hope Albany. John Lovett. 

General Wilkinson while in command at New Orleans had received a 
letter from the Secretary of War, John Armstrong — to proceed with the 
least possible delay, to the head quarters of Major General Dearborn. 
These are now at Sackett's Harbour, on Lake Ontario, Gen. W. says, I 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 809 

obeyed the order with complacency, and did not waste a moment in my 
preparation, to take a long farewell. 

Oov. Tompkins to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Albany Sept. 3, 1813. 

The Adjutant General is requested to Sign the Commissions and Gen- 
eral Orders organizing the Detachment required by General Orders of 
31st July. If the return for promotions in the Chenango Brigade (Genl. 
German's) are in his possession, the Commander in Chief wishes to see 
them or to be informed whether Col. Balcom of that Brigade has resigned ? 

Solomon V. Rensselaer, Esq., Adjutant General. 

" Every history has one quality in common with eternity. Begin where 
you will, there is always a beginning back of the beginning. And, for that 
matter, there is always a shadowy ending beyond the ending. Only be- 
cause men may not always begin, like our Knickerbocker, at the founda- 
tion of the world, is it that they get courage to break somewhere into the 
interlaced web of human histories, of hopes and fears, of successes and 
disappointments, of gettings and havings and spendings and losings. Yet, 
break in where they may, there is always just a little behind the begin- 
ning, something that needs to be told." 

And thus it was after the re-election of Governor Tompkins, for he 
nobly re-instated Solomon Van Rensselaer in his old office of adjutant 
general, being as he well knew an honest man of elevated and untarnished 
character, and never did any odium fall on the whole State by reason of 
his personal misdoings. 

I have preferred, dear Hattie, in compiling the narrative of the war of 
Queenston, to give almost exclusively my honored father's own words, as 
every line written by him is precious to his children ; they could not be 
improved. These truths were like " household words." I could scarely 
have recounted it differently ; they cannot be contravened, for we have 
all the requisite papers and letters in our possession to establish every 
word he uttered. He entered the army at an early age, bearing himself, 
as we are proud to know, in a manner worthy of his country and ancient 
lineage. In the last brilliant charge at the Miami, in 1794, he contri- 
buted something to the success of our arms, and won for himself, the 
entire confidence and esteem of his military brethren. His conduct in 
the war of 1812, and the services which he rendered at that important 
and critical period in the memorable contest, are written in the history 
of the republic; his abilities as a military leader, and his courage as a 
soldier alike bore the scrutiny and secured for him the admiration of his 
countrymen. He retired from the service, disabled for labor; and the 
seven wouods he bore charactered on his person while they told of the 
dangers through which he had passed in the service of his country, made 
sure also his incapacity for the active business of life ; crippled his re- 
sources and left him a poor man in his declining years. The filial devotion 
of a daughter, that prompts this labor of love in portraying, even in this 
cursory manner, the record of the brilliant military and civil services of 
one so eminently distinguished, as Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, requires 
no apology. 

" His military deeds, which he promptly and satisfactorily executed are 
part of the imperishable authentic register of the country he loved so well, 
served so long and defended so heroically." Those who knew him best, 
loved him most, for those noble qualities of head and heart, which conspic- 



310 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

uously marked him in all his domestic relations ; to his children, he was 
endeared by all the holiest and strongest affections of the human heart; 
his estimable private character and his worth as a man, they knew and 
appreciated. Our heroic father's name stands second to none in self sacri- 
ficing-true patriotism; and in noble, daring deeds, which gave additional 
lustre to the renown and glory of our Arms ; he was an illustrious scion 
of his most heroic sire. His name will justly stand recorded on the pages 
of history as the virtuous, honoi'able, and valiant defender, or asserter of 
his country's rights; and posterity will read of his exploits with delight. 
And it is always well to remember that to transmit the honors of one age 
to another is our duty ; to neglect the merits of our fathers is a direful 
disgrace. Unfortunately, the '•'• puhlic gooiV required that this upright/e(7e- 
ralht should be sacrificed to the democrats, being the dominant party of 
the day, and to that party he became obnoxious because he defended those 
who were wronged, and consequently, justice had been measured out with 
but a meagre hand. And he found more than one barrier to the accom- 
plishment of his wishes, because he held in utter abhorrence the intrigues' 
of democracy and the spirit of mob government. His own words are re- 
corded thus : " lifter the battle of Queenstowu, General Dearborn, profess- 
ing to be satisfied and pleased with my conduct, told my friends. General 
Lewis and Van Rensselaer, at Greenbush, that a separate corps would be 
organized for me, of which they informed me by letter while still confined 
with my wounds at Bufi"alo ; but owing to the public defence, which as a 
man of honour, I found myself obliged to set up against the political attacks 
on the conduct and character of General Stephen Van Rensselaer, who 
then was a candidate for the governorship against Governor Tompkins, I 
became obnoxious to the dominant party of the day, and the intention was 
never carried into efi"ect. 

Dr. Eustis, before he resigned as secretary at war, entered my name upon 
the list for the appointment of Brigadier General. He afterward told me, 
when in Congress together, that he was astonished that his successor 
General John Armstrong had not appointed me. 

The present venerable Mayor of Baltimore, General Samuel Smith and 
the Hon. D. R. Williams, chairman of Committee on Military Afi'uirs in 
Congress, called together of their own accord, upon the Secretary of War, 
to urge my appointment in the army. General Harrison, with whom I 
had served in General Wayne's army, also solicited my appointment, as 
his second in command in the northwestern army. It will be recollected 
that I never resigned my commission in the regular service, but lost it 
when the army was curtailed ; my claim to promotion, therefore, was valid 
still, whenever any augmentation took place. Besides this, the validity of 
such claims was admitted in the case of other oificers of Wayne's army, 
and they were promoted accordingly. Harrison, who was a lieutenant 
when I commanded a troop, was commissioned a major-general ; Covington, 
a subaltern in our corps, a brigadier-general ; Ball, my cornet, a lieutenant 
colonel &c. &c. Yet, the above applications in my behalf — and they were 
certainly entitled to some consideration, on the score of the character of 
the applicants — were all superciliously denied, on the ground as alleged to 
Wilkinson and others — that I was too unpopular to raise a corps. Where 
is the evidence of this fact ? Was Gov. Tompkins, with whom, unfortunately, 
I had been at political variance, awai-e of it when I accepted his invitation, 
as a member of his own family, to assist him in defending the city of New 
York from an expected invasion ? [As Adjutant General, Solomon Van 



Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 311 

Bensselaer was superseded for a few months antecedent to and during the 
late War, but when D. D. Tompkins, Esqr. reascended the gubernatorial 
chair, he was re-instated in that ofiSce.] Was it indicated in the resolution 
unanimously passed by the council of appointment, to confirm my brevet 
as Major General, in the militia of this state. 

Copy. 

" The commander in chief having raised by brevet Solomon Van Rensse- 
laer to the rank of major general in the militia of this state, on account of 
his distinguished gallantry and public spirit in the military service of his 
country, and especially during the late war on the Niagara frontier, there- 
fore resolved, that the said Brevet be confirmed, and that a commission be 
issued to him as major-general accordingly, in the militia of this State. 

Dewitt Clinton, Governor. 
(Signed) Stephen Barnum, ^ 

William Ross, I Members" 

George Rosecrantz, { 
Stephen Bates, J 

Or was my election to congress by my neighbors, without opposition in 
one instance, and by a triumphant majority in another, any evidence of 
it ? No, it only existed in the brain of a calumniator. 

General Armstrong was at that time governed by the basest of feel- 
ings and motives, and in the antipathies engendered in times long past, 
and by circumstances which should be forgotten, is to be found the whole 
secret of his present peculiar hostility, both to General Van Rensselaer 
and myself. 

When the much persecuted and unfortunate General Wilkinson was 
ordered by General Armstrong, then Secretary of War, from New Orleans 
to take command of the Northern Army, he too urged my appointment 
but was refused. On his arrival at Albany, however, he sent for me and 
wished me to accompany him to the frontiers. I replied that I would 
willingly do so, if I even thought he had the least chance to efi^ect any 
thing of consequence; but knowing that the deficiency of almost every 
necessary article, and the want of a proper organization in any department 
of the army, would prevent his descent upon Montreal that season I de- 
clined. When informed by me, of the state of his command, he could 
hardly credit it, for General Armstrong, in reply to written queries put to 
him on the subject, had stated everything to be in complete order ; after 
he had visited his line of posts, however, he wrote me that things were 
not only as bad as I had represented, but much worse, it was a " wretched 
state in which he found the army in all its departments." 

Col. Van Rensselaer to Oen. Wilkinson. 

My Dear Friend, Mount Hope 3rd October, 1813, 

I received your very interesting letter several days since, and I beg you 
will do me the justice to impute the delay of my answer to the true cause. 
It is hard sitting in judgment when inclination and a sense of duty are 
opposing advocates ; it requires time, and mature deliberation. But I have 
made my decision ; and after tendering you the renewed assurances of my 
gratitude and respect for the repeated evidence of your friendship and 
honorable notice, I will state that decision, and the considerations which 
have constrained me to make it. A Soldier's candor will pardou a Soldier's 



312 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

frankness. After the most charitable review I can make of the relative 
discharge of duties between myself and Country, I find insuperable bar- 
riers against resuming my sword. 

You Sir, know the general history of my life ; I will spare you the 
trouble of minute detail and only glance at prominent points. 

The sufferings endured by my Father from wounds received in the 
Revolutionary war, was one of the first serious subjects of my puerile con- 
templation and why it should have been so. Nature alone must tell; but 
the more I witnessed his sufierings, the more I became enamored of arms. 
As I advanced in years, the charms of a Military life brightened upon my 
view, and at 18 years of age, I resolved on the Profession of a Soldier, and 
entered upon it. In the School of the gallant Wayne andyour&df I was 
happy. I found the camp was my home, my sword my companion, and 
my duty my pleasure; particulars are unnecessary. At the close of that 
War, I was unfortunate and sufi"ered much ; but a consciousness that the 
Sword, bequeathed me by the brave Camphell was sheathed untarnished ; 
and that my Commissions which bore the sacred name of Washington had 
never been dishonored, bore me above all considerations of loss of property 
or blood. 

It is true, I received the necessary vouchers to entitle me to that re- 
muneration from my Country which, while disabled by wounds was very 
necessary for the support of myself and growing family. But, intending 
to devote my life to my Country, in my profession, I disdained to ask for 
the pittance allowed. I have not done it. I loved service, but hated 
the Pension List. I wished only the restoration of my Rank when my 
Country might call for service. I confess I thought I had a right to ex- 
pect it, but in vain. 

" The Administration have called to the field, and honored with Colonel's 
and even Brigadier's Commissions, men who were not in service, and some 
who only ranked as Subalterns in the Army, when I was a Major of Cav- 
alry ! In Silent mortification I witnessed the progress of events ; at last, 
under the impression that the Administration might still have supposed 
me incapacitated for service by wounds, I took measures to have inti- 
mated to them both my ability and willingness to return to the Army. 

The result you know. I here too forbear particulars but too well cal- 
culated to add indignation to mortification. To have been long neglected 
was enough — but to be proscribed, and that too, at the instance of pri- 
vate pique, in men whose lives are but a tissue of baseness and intrigue is 
too much. Of the part I acted during the last Campaign in the capacity 
of Aid de-Canip to Maj. Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer, sufiice it to say 
that I yielded partly to the earnest request of a friend, whose wishes with 
me, could have no less influence than legitimate command ; and partly to 
the universal solicitation of the Soldiery who had long known me as their 
friend in the capacity of Adjutant General. Of that Campaign I will only 
say that after all the shameful mismanagement of those whose imbecility 
attempted to direct its operations, it would have been closed with a splen- 
did victory had I not, in the hour of trial been deserted in the most das- 
tardly manner by wretches who had pledged every thing sacred to stand 
by me while I was acting in obedience to their irresistible importunities 
to General Van Rensselaer. Indeed with the few brave lads who remained 
with me, I could have preserved the won victory but for the severe wounds 
which compelled me to quit the field. Although for the pist year I have 
nursed my wounds in silence, yet I am assured through sources not 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 313 

to be questioned, that the claims to my own rank in the Army have been 
urged upon the Administration by influential men, without distinction of 
political parties, yet the decree of proscription remains unrescinded, al- 
though at the close of the late Session of Congress, the Senate was "liter- 
ally burned up with nominations ! " This my dear Sir, is a compressed 
statement of my situation ; and the facts here stated, must I am persuaded, 
in your judgment justify the decision I have made. 

It cannot hardly be necessary for me to add that self respect is the only 
solid base which can possibly support the respect of others. A Soldier 
must he a Soldier, or he is nothing, whose character like the walls of a 
safe citadel must be defensible in ever^ point ! a single vulnerable angle 
will destroy that proud Spirit of conscious worth, which is of the very 
essence of an officer, and which alone renders his character worthy of imi- 
tation. 

My brief application of these sentiments are, that such has been the 
treatment of the Administration towards me, that in their service I cannot 
resjiect myself. 

Therefore my dear old friend, I must once more beg you to accept my 
most cordial thanks for the very partial notice I have received from the 
Soldier whom the general voice of the United States has now declared 
most competent to Command her Armies. 

That you may never have occasion to repine at the ingratitude of your 
Country, and that your Career may be honorable to the end, is the fervent 
prayer of Your unalterable &c. Sincere Friend. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

P. S. why not pass Kingston, throw one or two light vessels of the fleet 
in a situation to prevent Sir George following you by water, descend the 
River and carry Montreal, my heart is with you. 

Major Genl. James Wilkinson, Commander in Chief of the N. A. 

Oov. Tompkins to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Albany January 12, 1814. 

I have notified a meeting of the Council of appointment on Saturday 
the 22nd Instant for the purpose of enabling them, if they think proper 
so to do, to make the Military Appointments which were omitted at their 
last Session. It is therefore desirable that I should be furnished with the 
returns and other papers touching other military appointments which may 
be in your possession, in time to submit them to the Council on the before 
mentioned day. 

I am Sir, yours &c. 






Z2a^£/ /^'/{^TMA/j^^-vif 




Solomon Van Rensselaer Esq. Adjutant General. 

General Hull was summoned to appear before a court martial convened 
at Albany, New York. " It met on the 8d of January, 1814. General 
40 



314 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Dearborn was the president, and he was assisted by three brigadier gen- 
erals, four colonels, and five lieutenant colonels. General Hull was 
charged with treason, cowardice, and neglect of duty and unofEcer like 
conduct. After a session of eighty days, the court decided on March 26th 
that he was not guilty of treason, from the evidence brought forward, but 
found him guilty of all the other charges. He was sentenced to be shot 
dead, and his name to be struck from the rolls of the army. The presi- 
dent of the United States approved the sentence on the 25th of April. The 
court recommended him to the mercy of Mr. Madison who pardoned him." 

Hon. John Lovett to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

My dear Colonel, Washington, 28th Jany., 1814. 

Don't chide my silence, I do declare to you I never was so wholly 
buried up as I am at present. I have to aid Harson all I can : there are 
a number of the first members in the minority who really seem to thiok 
much more of my poor services than 1 can possibly think they are worth. 
Never did you see a finer corps of fellows than our Minority, and the poor 
fellows are almost worried out. We are upon the Army Bill and pre- 
paration for a great campaign. Argument has for some days past assumed 
ao almost unlimited range, and every one says pretty much what he 
pleases. The day before yesterday, Taylor, of Saratoga, attempted to 
prove the War in the State of New York was popular, and he endeavord 
to prove it by the great partiality which had been manifested towards 
Gen. Van Rensselaer — yourself — and me. He noticed the manner in which 
the General was received on his return ; your appointment to the office of 
Adjutant General; and my election to Congress, Clerk's office &c. This 
of course, drew collaterally the aff'air of Queenstown into debate. Taylor 
and Fisk slapped at it a little. You know I have for many reasons, been 
very desirous to keep silence on this subject. But the discussion now^ 
assumed such shape that the duty I owed to the General, yourself and 
myself would no longer allow me to be silent I refuted all Taylor's 
arguments, and then touched, not minutely, but pretty generally at the 
occurrences of the Campaign which could in any shape invade character. 
Upon this occasion I availed myself of the opportunity to say a few words 
of your history, merits, wrongs and sufi'erings. I perceived I was listened 
to with much attention both by the members and a vastly crowded gallery, 
I therefore ventured on a little further, and stated your removal by 
Tompkins ; the deaf ear of the Administration to all applications for your 
appointment — pointed out the real ciiuse. 

But 1 must close : you may rest assured that the General and his Aids 
stand well on the floor ; and as I took the liberty of throwing out some 
pretty bold menaces of telling ugly tales, I think they will be willing to 
let us alone and respect us in future. 

Augustus Porter tells me his Account is settled ; he has had a 17000 
writ tucked on him here. 

I enclose you the Intelligencer — see the Generals and Colonels marked 
on the margin : Also Armstrong's project for Conscription. 

Ever truly yours. 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer. John Lovett. 

Dear Colonel, 

1 have not a moment to spare, enclosed is a Skeleton of what was said. 
No one attempted a Reply. Suffice to say, our friends here, are not only 



i 



Legacy of IIistoiucal Gleanings. 315 

satisfied, but gratified. They are pleased to say it was delivered in the 
spirit of a soldier. I hope I have said notliiug which you or the Geiieral 
will disapprove. If aught agreeable, use it as you please. In two days I 
hope to get the floor in my own way ; not complete. 

Ever yours, undaunted, 
Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany. John Lovett. 

lion. John Lovett to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

My dear Colonel, Washington, Feb. 20, 1814. 

I have this moment received yours of the 13th. x\s our friends here 
have expressed their high gratification at the matter and manner of the 
Re-fi(/hting of the Battle of Queenstown, I needed nothing more to put 
my heart at rest, on that subject, but the approbation of the " little Mili- 
tary Family J' You give me that; saying that '■^ the members of it, will 
on ALL occasions siqjport each other at every hazard, with truth and Jus- 
tice on their side." My heart responds, Amen, I am satisfied. 

You express your solicitude lest my " Speech and strictures on the War 
may bring me into a scrape f and express an ardent desire to be with me 
in such event. Thank ye; In such event yoxji shall hQ with me. Long 
ago I wrote our dear General that plunging in amongaset of rap-scallions 
wearing long swords was a very pokerish kind of business : but that in 
case of emergency my privilege would protect me until I could send for 
Solomon to do the fighting. The truth is there is no milksop, middle 
course left for us ; the rascals in power must be ousted, ousted, or we are 
undone. This is my sincere opinion, and under this conviction I think, 
speak and act. The Federalist that will not, now, keep the deck, or 
mount the maintop, to give or receive shot, as occasion may ofi"er, is not 
worthy of his hammock on board. I have been threatened, but, as yet, 
remain undisturbed. The truth is that what is here called " the Albany 
QuilV is somewhat dreaded. '■'■ Inchequin" has been slain, and some 
others, deservedly (we wage no wanton war), been severely wounded. 
And, being a companion of yours, they all think I may fight like a very 
devil ! In short I do not apprehend anything serious : should that happen 
you will know it of course. The nearest I have come to a squable you 
may learn from a late letter I wrote the Mayor. I capped it confidential, 
but he will show to you. You know little Brisban, of Batavia, and that 
cowhide headed Col. Thomas who was Dep. Q. Master at Bufialo. Thomas 
and his Agent, one Simpson, talked saucy, and did knock poor Brisban 
down : but they graciously spared me, and have fled, but I am pressing 
measures to have them brought back. 

Augustus and Peter Belligerent Porter, are here. Augustus is very 
civil — says Gen. Van Rensselaer is the only Commander who kept things 
in order upon the frontier. Peter B. I apprehend, keeps close. I have 
not seen him, he dreads such little papers as Augustus has had put upon 
his shoulders since here. How they will come out I know not. I have 
just received a line from Gen. Huntington he says: " Who is the Hero 
of Wallamsack that dandled Solomon V. R. upon his wounded knees; I 
never understood that?" Never mind, thats easily explained — I in- 
tended to have transmitted you Morris S. Miller's speech upon that occa- 
sion. Southwick will show you a pamphlet, and some patriotic eff'orts I 
am trying to make in Kentucky — T say, once for all, these fellows must 
give up the reins to wisdom, or despotism will usurp them, — pull away 
and assert your creed thus expressed. 



316 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

" Thy spirit, Independence, let me share, 
Lord of the Lion's heart, and Eagle eye, 
Thy steps I follow, with my bosom bare. 
Nor heed the storm that howls along the sky. " 

Respects to the family and the Bethlehem Member of Assembly. 

John Lovett. 

Dear Colonel, Washington Feb. 23, 1814. 

You know I have been laboring all winter to get the Administration 
and their Generals to play a game of Billiards, and to use Heads for Balls. 
I have no doubt the game has commenced two hours ago, and that your 
old friend Wilkinson is the first ball played at; but whether with intent 
io pocket him or to play for a cannon at Armstrong and Hampton, I know 
not. But, as I have but one moment, figures must be dropt and I will 
speak plain. I do not understand what it means, but an Express left 
here, two hours ago, to arrest General Wilkinson ! I do verilij helieve it ; 
I ma)/ be deceived, but I cannot believe I am. My Ariel who never has 
deceived mc, assures me it is so. Tell our General what I say. 

11 o'clock V. M. — My dear Colonel, In my toai/ I have a little game 
blood as well as you : You love powder, ball and steel : them / hate as 
poison ; but 1 love to play my pen, ink and paper battling with success. 
We both aim at the same victory. 

I dropped you a hasty line, to day, telling you what I believed : and 
late as the hour is, I will jog once more to the Post office to say that my 
opinion is every hour confirmed. Col. Hawkins has been with me this 
evening, he says I am right. And, now, one word more : Hawkins has 
spent the winter here ; has generally, kept good Federal Company — wants 
to continue in service. He says General Armstrong will have not an ofli- 
cer under him, but lick-spittles and toad-eaters. He quits here in dis- 
gust — he has been much with Van Ness. I think Van Ness is disgusted 
too. I'll bring something out of my " Strictures" yet ! One word more, 
for I grow sleepy : Hawkins is your great friend — he expects you are 
going to raise 4 Regiments of State Troops. He wishes yoii to Command 
them, and he wishes to serve under you — that's all. You have your cue. 
Can't /go Secretary/, the old white Coat is good yet ? 

Yours ever. 

Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany. John Lovett. 

Jo7m Lovett to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Colonel, Washington, March 11, 1814. 

Should the State of New York raise the Four Regiments, I will never 
forgive it, if you are not appointed to command them. / am too old to 
go " Secretary" again, but I am authorized to promise you a much abler 
member in your military family, should you command that Division. You 
shall have, by your side, a scholar, a soldier, a statesman ; this I am fully 
authorized to promise you. The man will be Thomas P. Grosvenor — 
of this you may rest assured. Vf you spend the ensuing season upon the 
frontiers. He will spend the Campaign in your family, you cannot wish 
more. I write this at his request. This never will be allowed. Two 
such Blood-hounds should never be trusted together. I am well, and 
ever yours. 

Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer. J. Lovett. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 817 

Oeorge M. Bibb to John J. Crittenden. 
Dear John, Washington City, April 24, 1814. 

The court-martial sentenced Hull to be cashiered and shot, but recom- 
mended him to the mercy of the President, [on account of his age and his 
revolutionary services,] who, I understand, intends to remit the sentence 
of death. What weakness ! If cowardice such as Hull's which surrendered 
a fortress, an army, a territory without firing a gun, which surrender was 
followed by such loss of lives and treasure, is not punished with death, 
but pardoned by the commander-in-chief, what can we expect ? No 
military officer hereafter can be punished by the loss of commission for 
cowardice. A negotiation is going on between an agent on our part and 
General Prevost, for an armistice. Prevost is willing to an armistice on 
land ; our government wishes it also by sea. The negotiation, may, per- 
haps, terminate in an armistice on the land, the lakes, and on our sea- 
coast, leaving our coast to be blockaded, and the war upon the ocean to 
progress, that is to say, that no expedition on land, nor any enterprise 
against towns or forts, shall be attempted, such an armistice to be con- 
tinued for a limited time, or until our negotiations at Gottenburg are broken 
off", or until either party shall give reasonable notice that it shall cease. I 
speak of the probable issue from what our government would agree to, 
and what it may well be supposed the British government would not agree 
to. The maritime superiority of Great Britain she will not yield by an 
armistice. Your friend, as ever, 

Hon. J. J. Crittenden. George M, Bibb. 

Lt. Col. Jno. R. Fenmck to Col. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Colonel, New York May 9, 1814, 

It would appear that the man, who draws his Sword for the Defence of 
his Country's honor and welfare is doomed to Suffer in Body, Mind and 
Fortune. I cap Smile at Pain, created in the path of Glory, I sought it, 
'twas my duty. I can submit without murmur to the Severe Decrees of 
Justice, but I abhor Villainy, and Persecution. The Miscreants who 
during our Western Campaign, in vain set their Snares to entrap me, pur- 
sue me now even to the threshold of power ; and under the base Influence 
of their Avarice are determined, since they cannot assail my Reputation, 
to attempt my Ruin by filching me of my property, to pay for that, which 
they never owned, and if they did, I had never injured. Secretly, but 
audaciously they declare, that I ordered their Salt taken possession of, to 
erect that Battery, which as you know not only saved Niagara, but pro- 
duced the Destruction of Fort George, that my holding possession of this 
Salt, produced to Mr. Augustus B. Porter a Loss of 1400 Dollars. Thus 
does this IMan insidiously make a Declaration to the Department of War, 
which he found he could not substantiate in a Court of Justice. You so 
closely connected with Gen. Van Rensselaer during his Command, must 
bear in mind all the Circumstances which relate to this Case.' You will 
therefore confer on me an obligation by stating to me all you know con- 
cerning the Salt of which so much has been said with so little truth, from 
the hour which Porter lays his Claim to 500 Barrels must have been but 
in duress — thus these people impose upon honest Folks ! 

Have you lately heard from our old friend Wilkinson ? Pray write to 
me soon. I beg you to accept the assurance of my Sincere Esteem and 
Regard, John R. Fenwick. 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer Albany. 



318 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

" General Wilkinson, by an order from the War Department, on March 
24, 1814, was relieved of the command of the army in the Department of 
the North, and his conduct while in command of that district was subse- 
quently committed to the scrutiny of a court martial. He proved that 
during the most important operations of the disastrous campaign, which 
ended at French Mills, the War Department, in the person of Minister 
Armstrong, was on the Northern frontier, and that he acted under the 
secretary's immediate instructions. These proofs being positive, Wilkinson 
was acquitted, and the public placed the chief blame, where it seemed to 
properly belong, on the War Department. Like Harrison, who had felt 
the baneful eflfects of the administration of that department, Wilkinson 
threw up his commission in disgust," General John Armstrong was 
called, in an evil hour, to assist in the administration of the government, 
during the arduous and eventful period of our second war with Great 
Britain. As the head of the war department, he had it in his power to 
perpetrate the most extensive mischief, not only by his want of capacity, 
but in the indulgence of an unhappy, restless, and. malignant temper; a 
power which he did not spare to use, at first to the oppression of all in- 
dividuals whom he honored with his enmity, and finally to the disgrace 
and degradation of his country. His interference with the plans of General 
Wilkinson may serve as a commentary on this text. 

General Wilkinson wished to attack Kingston, and there rest for the 
winter in good quarters, to organize the difi"erent departments of the army, 
build boats, &c., and carry Montreal early in the spring. This delay could 
not operate against us; as the St. Lawrence opens between the two phices 
before it does below, the attack could have been made before any reinforce- 
ments could arrive from Europe. If Gen. Wilkinson had been suffered 
to take his course the British fleet at Kingston would have fallen into his 
hands, and the millions of dollars afterwards expended in ship building 
for the two lakes would been saved the country ; but the secretary was 
on the spot, and manceuvered to defeat his plain. It was said he had an 
eye on the presidency, and if Montreal coald be taken that season, it 
would facilitate his object, for if successful he would have assumed all the 
credit; as it was, he managed to avoid the responsibility by throwing all 
the blame on poor Wilkinson. 

Our country was fated to purchase its release from the hand of this 
functionary, at no less a sacrifice than the overthrow and sacking of the 
national capital, by a feeble and insulting foe. Here justice (//(^overtake 
him ; and finding that no artifice could sufiice to enable him to throw off 
the just responsibilities of the position he had occupied, he passed into 
retirement. The affair at Bladensburgh, August 24, 1814, occurred under 
General Armstrong's own immediate supervision as secretary of war. 

In this case, although an attack had been long apprehended, a much 
larger force, it is true, tlian absolutely required for the purpose of repelling 
it, was collected, but no organization or system of defense having been 
arranged, our army, composed of the regular cavalry, artillery, infantry, 
and a large body of militia, were disgracefully routed without a show of 
fight, except from the gallant Commodore Joshua Barney, by compara- 
tively a handful of British troops, who were exhausted by the fatigue of a 
long forced march. Near three weeks before the attack was made upon 
Washington, I received a letter from an officer of high rank in the army, 
who writes, " such is the want of preparation for defense at this place, 
that three thousand men can destroy it." Can it be supposed for a moment 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 319 

that if Gen. Armstrong, the dispenser then of honors and promotions in 
the army, had identified liimself with our troops, they would have re- 
treated on the approach of the enemy ? No never ! yet he was among the 
first to set the cowardly example. If a more manly course had been 
pursued, though driven from the first stand, the road passing over a rolling 
country skirted by woods, afforded many positions, equally as strong and 
as admirably calculated for the most effective disposition of the different 
kinds of troops employed, and they might have fallen back from one 
position to another with equal advantage and have harrassed even a larger 
force of the enemy, so that they never could have reached Washington. 
But had every effort under this course failed, a few hundred men thrown 
into the Capitol, would have saved the city. The six pounders used by 
the enemy, could have made no impression upon the walls of this building 
while a brisk fire from its windows and from the stone parapet surround- 
ing its roof, would effectually have arrested their progress. The same 
defenses might have been made at the president's house, fianked as it was 
by the state and treasury offices on the right, and by the war and navy 
on the left. The navy-yard was equally susceptible of defense. 

The official report of Major-general Koss, the British commander, says : 
'• The enemy's army, amounting to eight or nine thousand men, with three 
or four hundred cavalry, was under the command of General Winder, 
being formed of troops drawn from Baltimore and Pennsylvania. His artil- 
lery, ten pieces of which fell into our hands, was commanded by Commodore 
Barney, who was wounded and taken prisoner. The artillery I directed 
to be destroyed. Having halted the army for a short time, I determined 
to march upon W^ashington, and reached that city at eight o'clock that 
night. Judging it of consequence to complete the destruction of the pub- 
lic buildings with the least possible delay, so that the army might retire 
without loss of time, the following buildings were set fire to and consumed. 
The Capitol, including the Senate House and House of Representatives, 
the Arsenal, the Dock-yard, Treasury, War-Office, President's Palace, 
Rope-walk, and the great Bridge across the Potowmack : in the dock-yard, a 
frigate nearly ready to be launched, and a sloop of war^ were consumed." 
The British destroyed the " barracks for almost three thousand troops, 
and performed deeds worthy of barbarians; after remaining till the ex- 
tent of devastation was sufficient to satiate even their vandalism, in their 
own time returned unmolested to their shipping." 

John Lovett to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Colonel, Washington Nov. 12, 1814. 

I noticed certain great MlUtcwi/ Character.^, last winter — bear them the 
same respect still. Have commenced, freely, with Majoritij men, on that 
especial subject. Just parted at this late hour, 11 o'clock Saturday night. 
Suppose, on Monday next, a motion to dismiss from service Generals 
Dearborn, Wilkinson and Lewis &c., &c. !! ha, ha; what then ! If /am 
not deceived, you will not be on Monday next. I try to do all the (jood 
I can. You know enough of all these wretched leeches — Adieu. 

I want poor Brock's Seal — my Son has it. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Adjutant General. John Lovett. 

" The invasion which resulted in the capture of Washington city, the 
destruction of its public buildings and navy yard, the surrender and plun- 
der of Alexandria was simply barbarous, and caused the profound regret 
and humiliation of the American people. The slight resistance offered 



320 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

to the invaders during their operations in the space of twelve days 
excited great surprise, alarm and indignation. The national honor re- 
quired an investigation, and early in the next session of congress a com- 
mittee for that purpose was appointed by the house of representatives. 
Their report exculpated the president and General Winder, but left con- 
gress and the people to form their own judgment from the facts pre- 
sented. 

" The extent of devastation practiced by the ungenerous victors brought 
a heavy censure upon the British character, not only in America, but on 
the Continent of Europe, it was condemned in unmeasured terms." 

Intelligence of the capture of Washington city, reached New York on 
the 28th of August, three days after that sad occurrence. The zeal and pat- 
riotism of the citizens were increased thereby. In General Orders, Dan- 
iel D. Tompkins, governor of the state of New York, who had been un- 
tiring in his exertions for the public good, called on the inhabitants to 
send arms of every description to the State Arsenal, where all fit for ser- 
vice would be paid for. The call was promptly answered. New York was 
likewise fearfully excited by apprehensions of danger during the summer 
and autumn of 1814. The mayor of the city, De Witt Clinton, issued a 
stirring address to the people. He recommended the militia to hold them- 
selves in readiness for duty, and called upon the citizens to oflPer their 
personal services and means cheerfully to the United States officers in 
command there, to aid in the completion of the unfinished fortification 
around the city. 

Colonel Van Rensselaer was still suffering from his severe wounds, and 
had only been able to leave ofi" using crutches a short time previous. He was 
not, however, placed in battle array against the enemy again at this place, 
as the expected invasion was not attempted, he therefore returned this 
time without any additional scars to his family. At the close of 1814 
active war had ceased at the North but now its chief theatre of operations 
was in Louisiana and on the ocean. On the 11th of September, Sir 
George Prevost with an army of fourteen thousand men, made a descent 
upon Plattsburg and after a severe engagement was compelled to retire 
with great loss. The British fleet, under Commodore Downie, was cap- 
tured by Commodore Macdonough, on the same day. The war was ter- 
minated by the treaty of Ghent, signed by the commissioners of both 
countries, December 24th, 1814. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer to 7ds Wife. 

My dear Harriet, New York, 14th November, 1814. 

The Governor is in his new quarters with all his suit ; we have an elegant 
establishment; live in perfect harmony, and in style; much to do and 
attend strictly to all duties. " Poney " as you call him, got down safe, but 
was eight days on board in all that storm : he is the finest horse here, and 
much admired, as well as his rider ! I wish our poor little Mag's broken 
arm was well, kiss her for me. If there is no attack on this place this 
fall (and none is expected), I shall be with you in a few weeks when the 
Governor will return to Albany. The Militia are sickly, and heartily tired 
of a military life, desertions are frequent and furloughs asked for by doz- 
ens every day. We have visited the fortifications at the Hook, Narrows, 
this Island ; and on the 3rd while on this duty on Long Island the Gover- 
nor's horse fell with him in the ditch of Fort Greene a height of ten feet, 
without much injury. He dislocated his thumb and otherwise is a little 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 321 

bruised, but not so much as to prevent him from attending to duty, but 
he made a very narrow escape, lie treats me very civilly, and insisted that 
I should take up my quarters with him, which I did on the 5th when he 
began to keep house; my horse too is to share with his, free of expense; 
he is entitled to keep sixteen, and intends to have only two; so you see 
mine will be at the public expense and the forage I am entitled to. All 
my time is taken up in my profession. I act as Aid and not as Adjutant 
General. All express their satisfaction at my being here, and much con- 
fidence is placed in me by the Inhabitants. On the 6th I dined with 
the Recorder Hoffman with a large party. On the 5th with King the 
Son-in-Law of Mr. Ray and on the 7th with Col. Golden (Cadwallader D.). 
In short, calls and cards in abundance, I must see so much company that 
I have laid down certain rules from which I shall not depart, so fear noth- 
ing my love. 

Gen. Giles of this City, together with those I mentioned in my former 
letter to you : Charles King son of my friend Rufus King, and many 
others of the first blood in the Country wish for Regiments on condition 
that I command their Brigade. I have not asked for any thing and I am 
determined not to do so, if it is offered and I can retain my office of Ad- 
jutant General, I shall accept. The last from the conduct of Democrats 
towards me, will be safe at all events. I am as civil as they are. Lewis 
has gone to Washington to beg to be retained. Last night we returned 
from again visiting the Troops and Fortifications on Long Island and the 
Narrows, a tour of three days I spent very pleasantly ; in which time we 
reviewed three Brigades ; and were received at the different posts with a 
tremendous roar of cannon. The review of General Boyd's Brigade of 
Regulars was very splendid, the troops performed well and looked like 
Soldiers. On those occasions I am the right hand man of the Governor, 
who from my usefulness to him, grows daily more and more attached to 
me. I received a letter from General Wilkinson, he is again at Wash- 
ington, and insists on his trial, which will take place the ensuing winter 
at Utica on account of the witnesses being at the North. Wilkinson is in 
favor at Washington, and he will disgrace Armstrong more than he already 
is. I receive letters very frequently from Lovett ; they are as much pleased 
there at my being in Service, as they are here. Next week, on the 25th 
will be a splendid day for New York, the celebration of the Evacuation of 
this City by the British in the last war. I intend to send for Rensselaer 
from School and gratify him with the sight, his best clothes you can let 
John Berry bring down here. We are just now going out to review the 
Troops. On the 9th we visited the Forts in the Harbor, a grand Salute 
was fired from each (3 in number). Our Horses are at the door. Adieu 
my Harriot kiss our children and love to all. 

Yours truly, 
Mrs. Van Rensselaer, Albany Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Ge7i Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

New York, 30th Nevember, 1814. 
Yesterday my dear Harriot, Rensselaer left in the Steam Boat for 
Poughkeepsie, he took leave of the Governor, &c., like a man, much 
satisfied with what he had seen, and left this determined to attend clo.sely 
to his studies, and has already progressed considerably in the French. 
The Governor and all in this house were much pleased with him, he is a 
41 



322 LiiiGACY OF Historical Gleanings. 

fine boy. Rensselaer arrived here on the 24th and was delighted with 
the Parade, he staid with us at Head quarters and on the 26th went down 
with the Governor and his son (who are very civil to him) to Staten 
Island to see the fortifications; and I took him to see every thing worth 
seeing on his return. On the 25th we had a splendid day ; ten thousand 
troops were under arms, marched through the City and were reviewed by 
the Governor, after which we dined in the City Hall by invitation from 
the Corporation. I wrote you that in two or three weeks the Militia 
would be discharged all idea of an attack from the enemy being given up ; 
after which Governor Tompkins would return to Albany, and I should be 
made once more happy in the bosom of my Harriet and our little ones. 
You know I delight in a Military life, but never can I be at ease without 
you — my Wife and my Sword must go hand in hand. Tompkins is friendly 
and sociable as ever, and although our separation is painful, much good 
will come out of it I am sure. As the Militia are now all discharged ; I 
asked permission, last night of the Governor to return home on Saturday, 
on the ground that there was now not much to do. He told me if I had 
business of Importance to attend to, he had no objections, but he preferred 
that I should stay until the following Saturday. He wished to consult as 
to future operations after his dinner parties, (which are now three times 
a week) were over, and then we would go together. I of course acquiesced 
as he is every thing to me I could wish, and as the chain between him 
and Tyhurn is broken, I am certain *he will act a manly and Independent 
part. 

Yesterday about twenty-two oflBcers dined with us. Armstrong was 
one of the party. I designedly was the last in the room, and entered it 
after most of the Company had taken their seats in Military order to see 
if my place at the Head of the table was kept vacant. The moment I 
entered the Governor asked me to take the head of the table. I had him 
and Armstrong on my right ; the latter old rascal and others stared, and 
all who knew how I had been treated by him, were gratified. Our horses 
I fear will have a bad time of it in this storm ; let me know when they 
reach you; and I will thank you to let some one ride my horse morn- 
ing and evening about the hill in view of the house, for I fear he will be 
stifi". Let them lead him out of the back stable door, as he may get injured 
in front, as it is high from the ground. Give directions that ray horse is 
not brought out of the stable to water until my return as he is fond of 
play he may get hurt ; let them carry water to him and they must not 
give him too much grain. This day J. R. V. Rensselaer and myself 
dined at Mr. Coles, and I have invitations for every day in the week, when 
the Governor has no company. All this would be pleasant if you were 
only with me; if I return in the Spring you must break up housekeeping, 
then you and the two girls accompany me and the rest go to school. Tell 
Mag I have her Doll and other pretty things for her ; how happy T am to 
find by your letter that her broken arm is mending ; kiss the dear children 
for me. Adieu for a few days longer — truly yours. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Mount Hope. 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 323 

CHAPTER XV. 
Honors to Maj, Gen. Richard Montgomery. 

Hon. John Lovett to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Colonel, Washington Feb. 11, 1815. 

You are darting about the world so that I know not where to aim at 
you — and now, I have not even leisure to '■'■take aim." You- know our 
General always told us to write " short letters." I must now obey. The 
glorious news from New Orleans has thrown all into bustle here. The 
British defeated, slaughtered, vanquished, disgraced, have abandoned their 
enterprise — gone — gone ! Oh that yo%i only could have been with Jack- 
son ! But, I can only say a word — see particulars in a hand-bill to Grov. 
Tompkins, the only one I could get. 

Military Committee in a squabble — we are noticing instances o^ merit. 
Once I had given up — hopeless, this morning I rallied again, I may be 
vanquished again, but, if I don't get you a Sword I shall be quite dis- 
appointed. As for myself, I ask nothing but a Pair of Ears ! 

Harrison is before the house, for honour. You need not be at all con- 
cerned, you stood as you ought. Before the Committee — the great 
question has been, whether we should notice any officer concerned in any 
affair not crowned with complete success ! This monstrous position was 
once agreed to — I have this day reversed it — at least I think so. At all 
events you will stand with Honour. I think also with a Sword of your 
Country. I promise nothing ; therefore don't be disappointed at anything. 
Albany, I presume, is all buzz. I pray Grod the bread oiyour children may 
not be taken ; as for mine I have not a word to say. Conscious of faith- 
fulness to all I stand prepared for my fate. I cannot hedge., I must live 
or die honorably. Dig I can, as you know, with wife and eight on my 
back ; heg I can't. Bank passed Senate to day, Majority two ! It may 
pass our house — what then ? In very great haste — ever yours, 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq. J. Lovett. 

Hon. John Lovett to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Colonel, Washington, 20th February, 1815. 

You must pardon my seeming neglect of you. Although I am as silent 
here as a seamstress, I am by no means idle ; and since our glorious change 
of prospects we have all to work double tides at the heel of the Session, 
instantly to place the Nation in the best possible situation to make the 
most of our happy change of circumstances. To accomplish this great 
object, every committee is pulling with their best oars ; and, happy for 
the country, I believe we are pulling with zealous and hearty unanimity ; 
at any rate I can assure you this is the case in Military Committee, we 
meet morning and evening and work like brothers. You will readily 
perceive that the duties of this committee are of a most extensive and im- 
portant character — immediately important to 40,000 individuals, and ul- 
timately so as connected with all those deep interests involved in the 
Military Peace Establishment of our Country. Part of the Army is to be 
disbanded, and satisfactory provision made for them — the establishment 
to be kept up, must be effectually organized &c. 



324 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 




John Lovett. 



An important duty remains also to be performed to memories of the 
gallant dead, and to the living who have distinguished themselves. This 
is a most delicate and trying task — we Irniow we cannot do justice : but 

we must do as well as we can. 
Upon this subject we have already 
submitted some resolutions to the 
house; tomorrow we shall submit 
more. Suffice it for you to know 
that your name will appear at the 
head of a catalogue in which the 
names of Gibson — Wool — Fen- 
wick — Montgomery &c. will fol- 
low. What will be the disposi- 
tion of the house, remains to be 
seen — it is happy for me that in 
committee there is no diversity of 
sentimeut respecting my friend. 
One thing I venture to assure 
you, you will go otit of the house 
as you go in : with honor ; but, 
whether with, or without a Sword 
I can't predict. Nor is it of first 
importance; you know that /made 
a most excellent officer WITEIOUT a 
sword. To be sure the British 
Flag Officers used to stare a little, 
and I (in my sleeve) laughed a little ; but I did my duty, that was enough. 
As to the compensation to be made to that part of the army which will be 
disbanded; and the numerical force of our peace establishment, there are 
many various and conflicting opinions. Some most extravagant ones have 
been submitted, one of these proposes 40 skeleton regiments of Infantry, 
and of Artillery one ! Fine apportionment for Garrison duty. 

On these several subject I can only give you a sketch of what has just 
been unanimously agreed upon in our committee this evening, and we 
shall report a Bill, subject to amendments in the house as usual. To the 
part of the army to be disbanded immediately , we give three months Pay. 
Their grants of Land in the following proportion : To all those Officers 
who have been six months in service (you know many have been appointed 
within that period) we give : Major. Gens. 2760 Acres. Brig. Genls. 
1920 Acres. Cols, and Lieut. Cols. 1280 Acres. Majors 960 Acres. 
(While this subject was under discussion, I could have wished you in the 
corner. Depend upon it, all parties think alke of some Old Iiidyes.) 
Captains 640 Acres. Lieuts. and Ens. 480 Aci'es. Privates 320 Acres. 
You see we have not preserved the relative proportions either to rank or 
pay ; we could not. The fact is the enormous bounty given to our soldiers 
destroys, of necessity, all just proportion ; for had we undertaken to carry 
the thing out per scale, we must have purchased the Moon and, for aught 
I know, even Mercury to have made out premises. I confess I think the 
latter planet would afford excellent location for soldiers. Indeed I think 
yourself v/o\i]d mightily enjoy a snug Manor, and a Mount Hope farm up 
there. 

The Committee propose to continue the Military Peace Establishment at 
10,000, leaving it to the Secretary of War to say how it shall be appointed. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 325 

Thus much, my dear Sir, for the Military ; and this is about all I can 
write to you about ; for in the remaining scrap of the evening, I have to 
write to half a dozen more, upon subjects just as different as their hobbies 
are from your Hobbies. I have just had my second cruel tax to this 
epidemic sore throat, it is a horrid disorder I have barely been able to 
keep my seat for some days — indeed, I never yet quit it a single day 
since I was honored with it. I am now nearly well. 

My honored old Father has sent me his commands to return by Con- 
necticut, but I think I'll be with you about the 12th March. Whether 
with or without my Head, time must decide. Tve done my duty ; that's 
eno' for An old Soldier. In haste as ever yours, 

John Lovett. 

Colonel Solomon Van Rensselaer, Adjutant General. 

Hon. John Lovett to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Colonel, Washington Feb. 22d, 1815. 

Here we have ye all. Heroes huddled up like so many Rabbits in a 
market basket. Don't be elated any of you, for I think it most likely that 
we Representatives of the Soverei(jn People will shake ye all to the wind 
yet. Probably my friend will hang in the basket at least as long as any 
of his class. At any rate no one will have more friends to help him hold on. 

Among others, John Lovett. 

Resolutions expressive of the sense entertained by Congress of the Gal- 
lantry and Good Conduct with which the Reputation of the Arms of the 
United States has been sustained during the Late War by Certain Officers 
therein named. February 21, 1815. Read the first and second time and 
committed to a committee of the whole house. The Fourth Resolution 
reads thus : 

Resolved., That congress entertain a high sense of the gallantry with 
which the reputation of the arms of the United States has been sustained, 
in various combats, during the late war, by colonel Van Rensselaer, 
colonel Fenwick, colonel Newman, colonel Reed, lieutenant colonel 
Appling, lieutenant colonel Mitchell, colonel Williams and captain Z. 
Taylor; and that the president of the United States be requested to cause 
an elegant sword to be presented to each of the aforesaid officers. ^ 

Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, New York, October 17, 1815. 

I wrote to you from Claverach on the 4th, I wished to have seen you 
when I was at Albany a few days before, and expected to have had that 
pleasure at dinner at Mr. Abraham V. Vechtens. I wanted to have said 
a few words to you in relation to a certain question which is again pressed 
upon me with renewed earnestness and zeal. I am urged to consent to a 
measure which I know will ruin me if it succeeds, and I am told the 
party will be ruined if I don't consent. I take it for granted I shall be 
compelled to yield contrary to my wishes — my feelings — my interest — 
and my judgment. As you are among the earliest of my friends, as well as 
of the number why have never wavered in this attachment or confidence, 
I think it due to you to make this communication. It is at the same time 
expedient that nothing should be said about it as coming from me. 

Your letter was handed to me in the City this morning. As far as I 

' The " elegant sword," however, was never presented to Col. Van Rensselaer. 



326 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

can contribute to get patronage for Wilkinson's work,' I will do it — my 
eflforts will be circumscribed however, for reasons which I will detail when 
I see you. The course /am to pursue in relation to the next Election, 
will be decided in a few days here. I think from present appearances, it 
is after all, not improbable that I shall be let off. You may rely upon it, 
that W — s views in relation to the Presidential question are wholly incor- 
rect and his plans completely impracticable. We never can support 
Tompkins and as for Clinton he is so perfectly torpid that nothing can be 
done by or for him. I would prefer Monroe to Tompkins. Wilkinson is 
a better Soldier than Politician. His plans are visionary you may rely 
upon it. I enclose his letter which is a very interesting one. 

Yours very sincerely, in great haste. 

W. W. Van Ness. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esqr., Adjutant General, Albany, 

Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Friend. New York Feb. 18, 1816. 

I owe you an apology for not sooner answering your letter. I assure 
you it was not from want of attachment. You will believe me when I 
assure you, that next to my own family you are most dear to me. I have 
been engaged in a round of company, and part of the time the children 
have been indisposed with severe colds. Nothing would give me greater 
pleasure than to see you rewarded by our Country, for your services, at 
least our Country ought to take the lead in placing you in Congress or 
the Legislature as you may select. I have long since determined to retire 
at least for the present from the bustle of public life. I return Wilkin- 
son's letter — I hope he will give an impartial account of our affair and I 
do not fear the investigation either as it respects courage or conduct. I 
am conscious of our having acted from the best of motives and feel proud 
that our enemies cannot attach any disgrace on either of us notwithstand- 
ing their endeavours. I am happy to hear that Rensselaer improves — 
keep him to his studies. I want him to have a regular education. Re- 
member me to your good wife and daughters and believe me 

Col. Solomon Van Rensselaer, ) Yours truly 

Ad. General, Albany. j S. V. Rensselaer. 

Henry K. V. Rensselaer, B. O. 

Died — This morning — Monday, Sept. 9, 1816. General Henry K. 
Van Rensselaer, in the 73d year of his age. His friends and acquaint- 
ance, are requested to attend his funeral, tomorrow afternoon, at 3 o'clock, 
from his late residence. 

On Tuesday the 10th, his funeral solemnities were attended by a large 
concourse of citizens, and by a masonic and military procession in the fol- 
lowing order : 

Capt. Olmsted's City Guards, 

Capt. Judson's Volunteer Infantry 

Capt. Stilwell's Artillery 

Under the command of Capt. Ira Jenkins, and Adjutant Gilbert, 

and accompanied by the Albany Band of Music 

with drums muffled, &c. 

' The " Memoirs of My Own Times, by^Qen. James Wilkinson," were published 
in 1816, the next year. 



Legacy of Histoeical Gleanings. 327 

Albany Military Association in full uniform 
Masonic Procession 
Consisting of Masters, Temple and Mount Vernon Lodges. 
The Pall supported by eight officers of the 
War of Independence, Viz : 
John Lansing Junr., . Matthew Trotter, 

Stephen Lush, g^ Isaac Bogart, 

Daniel Hale, g Matthew Gregory, 

John H. Wendell, ^ S. W. Johnson. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer's Horse, 
Suitably caparisoned, and led by two servants dressed 
in mourning with white turbans. 
Mourners. — Clergy. — Physicians. — Citizens. 

After a solemn and eloquent prayer by the Rev. Dr. Bradford, the pro- 
cession moved from the house of Adjutant General Solomon Van Rensse- 
laer, son of the deceased, in North Pearl street, through South Pearl 
street to Cherry Hill, the family seat, at the distance of a mile from the 
city, the Bands playing a solemn dirge, and the artillery discharging 
minute guns, until the body was deposited in the family burying place, 
when the usual masonic solemnities were performed by Isaac Hempstead, 
Master of Master's Lodge, and the ceremonies were closed by the firing 
of vollies, by the Military over the grave. 

The scene was throughout solemn and impressive. The ceremonies were 
conducted with great order and decorum — the military arrangements 
though made on short notice, were executed in a very handsome manner 
under the superintendence of Col. Sebastian Visscher, and were much ad- 
mired and applauded by the very great concourse of persons who were 
present to pay the last tribute of respect to an old friend, neighbor and 
revolutionary soldier. 

General Van Rensselaer went early into the Army during the War of 
Independence, and was very much distinguished for his bravery and o-ood 
qonduct, conduct which secured him the esteem, and respect of his fellow 
Officers, and particularly of the Commander In Chief. He was in several 
engagements, during which he uniformly discovered the greatest coolness 
and courage. In July 1777 he was attacked by a large body of the Enemy 
at Fort Ann, but with a very unequal force he resisted them with great obsti- 
nacy and success until he learned that Ticonderoga had been abandoned 
by our troops, when he brought his men off. 

On that occasion he received a wound from a musket shot, the effects of 
which he severely felt throughout the remainder of his life. The ball en- 
tered his thigh, broke the bone, passed by and lodged in the upper part 
of the limb. The wound caused him a great deal of pain and distress for 
many years. The ball was never extracted until since his death, when it 
was taken out by Dr. William Bay, of this city, after having been carried by 
the deceased upwards of thirty-nine years. Four of the men of Gen. Van 
Rensselaer's own regiment who carried him on their shoulders, after he 
was wounded, the distance of fifteen miles, officiated as pall bearers at his 
funeral. [General Van Rensselaer's widow, Mrs. Nancy G. Van Rensselaer 
celebrated her ninety-ninth birth day on the 25th day of October 1874 at 
her son's residence in Randolph, N. Y. and expresses her belief that she 
will live to see her centennial birth day and meet five generations at this 
grand reunion Oct. 25, 1875.] 



328 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Oen. Stephen Van Rensselaer to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, New York Nov. 22d, 1816. 

Your letter and the enclosed General Order was received. Will you 
have the goodness to ask Sutherland to issue a Division Order respecting 
the Uniform. [Under new General Orders.] I have determined to adopt 
the Uniform of the United States as the most plain, and less expensive 
than the present fashion. Perhaps you had better give him a draft in 
the regulations for the several departments of the Army of the U. States, 
the uniform is minutely described, i I agree with you that we have no 
choice between the contending parties farther than the promotion of the 
public good may demand when we are called to act. Let me hear from 
you often, I will send Wilkinson's letter. Your friend 

Adjt. General Van Rensselaer, Albany. S. V. Rensselaer. 

Oeneral Lewis to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Staatsburg Nov. 17, 1817. 

I have been rather dilatory in performing my promise, though I hope 
the inclosed will reach you in time for your purpose. I wish you a success- 
ful result to your Application, and that your allowance may be adequate 
to your merits. Present my best respects to your Wife and family, to 
whom also Mrs. Lewis sends her love. Your friend, 



^-c^u^-iY 




Adjt. Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany. 

Oov. Clinton to Gen. Talmadge. 
Dear Sir. Albany 29 Nov. 1817. 

No man in this State has a deeper hold on the public sympathies for 
his sufferings by wounds received in 1794 and in 1812 than the present 
Adjt. Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer, and no man is better entitled to a 
liberal compensation from the National Government. His case will be 
laid before the President, and his remuneration ought not only to be liberal, 
but retrospective. Let me solicit the earnest interposition of you and your 
Colleagues in his behalf. I am yours with great regard, 

DeWitt Clinton. 

Major General James Talmadge, M. C. Washington. 

Rufus King to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Senate Chamber, Mar. 17, 1818. 

I may have omitted, but I think I did not, to acknowledge the receipt of 
your Communication of the 13 of feby, it came to hand in due course, and 
is in the possession of a Com'"^^ of the H. R. which, as I have been encour- 
aged to hope will report a Bill in your Favor. 

I beg you to be persuaded my dear Sir, that your friends here, and they 
are many, are doing what they are able to accomplish your very just Expect- 
ations. Very faithfully and respectfully Yr. ob. Servant, 

Col. S. Van Rensselaer. Rufus King. 

' The uniform of the Division of Cavalry by a General Order of the 6th November 
1816 of the late Commander in Chief (Gov. Tompkins) was left by Gov. Clinton 
to be fixed by Major Gon. Stephen Van Rensselaer. 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 329 

April 11, 1818. Since the detormiaatioa of the friends of the Adju- 
tant General — Solomon Van Rensselaer — to elect this gentleman a repre- 
sentative to Congress has been mentioned, and particularly since his nomi- 
nation by the County Convention, we have heard many doubts suggested 
whether it would be either prudent or expedient for him to jeopardize 
the office which he now fills with so much credit to himself, and honor 
and advantage to the state, by accepting another which cannot be a source 
of profit. If there is a man in the llepublic who has claims upon the 
gratitude and support of his country, that man is Solomon Van Rensse- 
laer. Rut as our present object is not panegyric, we forbear to recount 
the services, the exploits and the sufi"erings of this honorable and high 
minded citizen soldier. They are well known, and will brighten the 
pages of our history, when many of those tinselled insects whom chance 
has elevated within a few years, to the highest stations in our country, 
will be forgotton, or remembered only to be despised. But, he is a Fede- 
ralist. And it is a truth of notoriety, that owing to the narrow policy 
of the General Government, since the days of Gen. Washington, instead 
of bestowing upon him those honors and rewards which he has earned 
with his blood, he has been singled out as an object of persecution, envy 
and chilling neglect. 

As the General advances in years, the wound through his lungs becomes 
more troublesome, and it is feared will take him prematurely to his grave. 
His Physicians have repeatedly recommended to him a temporary change 
of climate ; and in consequence of this recommendation, the General is 
induced to accept the nomination, in order to try the effect of the climate 
at Washington. His Physicians are of opinion that the most salutary 
efi'ects upon his constitution, will flow from this measure. 

With respect to his office as Adjutant General, the matter is satisfactorily 
arranged, so that the public service will not suffer by his absence during 
the session or that the State will be deprived of his invaluable services in 
consequence. His duties and arrangements can principally be attended 
to before he will be obliged to leave this city; and His Excellency the 
Governor, impressed with a full belief of the necessity of the measure, has 
magnanimously offered to perform himself the incidental duties of his office 
during his absence, it is a noble and generous proffer of Governor Clinton. 

April 24th of this year, Solomon Van Rensselaer'sappointment as Adju- 
tant General, an office retained, so long, in times when there was much 
party spirit and much acrimony on both sides, was confirmed for still 
another term; and in May there was no opposition to the election of the 
Adjutant General as a member of Congress. 

Our Fniher's political and civil services rendered to his Country and 
State irrespective of party or personal considerations, are entitled to as 
great a celebrity as his Military career. Viewed from either stand point, 
he established for himself, a character as exalted, honorable and high 
minded as his children could desire, and equally as gratifying, of which 
they may well feel proud. 

A friend writes : " From an early day I learned to admire Genl. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer's heroic qualities, high order of talent and, 
amiable disposition. And knowing him as I did from boyhood upward, 
my eye has been upon him. A nobler looking man, a more indulgent 
husband and father or kinder hearted friend I never knew." 

42 



330 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

De Witt Clinton, Governor of the State of New York, General and Com- 
mander in Chief of all the Militia, and Admiral of the Navy of the same : 
To Solomon Van Rensselaer — Greeting: 

Reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Conduct, Patriotism, 
and Valour, I do, by these Presents, Commission by Brevet, and assign 
you, the said Solomon Van Rensselaer to be A Major General in 
the Militia of the said State, until the pleasure of the Council of Appoint- 
ment in the premises shall be signified and made known. You are there- 
fore, in the mean time, pursuant to the trust hereby reposed in you, to take 
the said Militia into your care, as Major General thereof and faithfully 
to observe and follow all Instructions, Directions, and Orders, which you 
may from time to time receive from the Commander in Chief of the said 
State for the time being, and from others your superior Officers, according 
to the Laws organizing and regulating the Militia, and the Rules and Dis- 
cipline of War. 

In Testimony whereof, I have caused the Seal for Military Commis- 
sions to be hereunto affixed, at the City of Albany, the twenty-fourth day 
of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen 
and in the forty-second year of the Independence of the United States. 

De Witt Clinton. 

This Commission has the Seal with the word '' Excelsior" — State of 
New York — stamped on it, and was given June 24, 1818. The Commis- 
sion of Major General was subsequently confirmed by the Council of Ap- 
pointment. 

In consequence of an act passed at the session of the legislature of 
New York state, entitled " an act of honor to General Richard Mont- 
gomery," authorizing the governor to take such measures as he should 
deem expedient to obtain the consent of the governor of Canada, to 
the removal of the remains of the general, it was expected that a formal 
delegation would have been sent by his excellency to Quebec. Infor- 
mation, however, had been received that the provincial government deter- 
mined not to comply with any formal request from the government of this 
State upon the subject; although the governor-in chief (Sir John Sher- 
brookc) had expressed a perfect willingness to surrender the remains at the 
request of the widow of the lamented general. In order, therefore, to efi^ect 
the benevolent and patriotic object. Col. Lewis Livingston, a nephew of Gen. 
Montgomery, at the request of Mrs. Montgomery and with the approbation 
of the governor of Now York state, proceeded a few weeks since to Quebec 
for that purpose. The request of Mrs. Montgomery to Governor Sher- 
brooke, to allow his remains to be disinterred and conveyed to New York, 
was readily complied with, and Col. Livingston was treated with much 
politeness and attention on this interesting occasion in the year 1818. 

Mr. James Thompson of Quebec who was one of the chief engineers at 
the time of the storming of the city, and assisted in burying the general, 
also assisted in the disinterment, making an affidavit to the identity of the 
body ; he was ninety years of age when the remains were taken up. Richard 
Montgomery was born in Ireland in 1737, was with Gen. Wolfe at the 
storming of Quebec in 1759 when both VV^olfe and the French General 
Montcalm fell, he then quitted his regiment and returned to England. 
In 1772 he again came to iimeriea, espoused the cause of the colonists and 
in 1775 he left on the rock of Quebec his blood, and to his country the 
legacy of his fame; purchased at the sad moment when, with his sword 



Legacy of Historical G-leanings. 331 

waving over his head, he rushed forward to the pickets to meet the dis- 
charge of a wall-piece from a neighboring house which stretched the truly 
noble man lifeless on the bloody snow. His mangled body had been carefully 
deposited in the sepulchral vault, where it rested unmindful of the stormy 
strife of contending armies. But now, after a lapse of forty-three 
years, the precious relics were to be restored to his country's care and re- 
ceive the honors so justly his due. Having obtained and with great care 
secured the remains, Col. Livingston repaired without parade, and with 
as little delay as possible to Whitehall, from whence he immediately an- 
nounced his arrival and success to his excellency the governor. 

Oov. Clinton to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Staten Island 16 June, 1818. 

My knee is much better. Dr. Hosack says that every thing is in its 
proper place, and that I will recover. Mrs. C's health is rather worse. I 
send you all the brevets in my possession. On the book case in my front 
office there is a large parcel. Will you get the key from the Recorder, 
[Philip S. Parker] procure and forward the whole to me to the care of 
Ool. Ferris Pell, New York. I approve of your arrangement relative to 
Capt. William's Company. I return the paper; as soon as possible I will 
issue the General order in the case of Montgomery's remains. 

Ever Yours Sincerely, 

DeWitt Clinton. 

Amongst my other afflictions it is some satisfaction to inform you that 
Drs. Post, Rodgers, Francis and others concur in the opinion that every 
thing about my knee is in its proper place and that time will eflFect a per- 
fect cure. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer — Adjutant General, Albany. 

Head Quarters, Albany, 29th June, 1818. 

The Commander in Chief having received intelligence from Col. L. 
Livingston, that the remains of General Richard Montgomery have 
been, agreeably to instructions given to him, conveyed from the city of 
Quebec to the village of White Hall, in this state ; and being desirous of 
manifesting all proper respect for the memory of a distinguished hero, 
who fell gloriously fighting for the liberties of America, has thought pro- 
per to direct the following arrangements on this solemn occasion. The re- 
mains of General Montgomery will be conveyed to the city of New York 
and deposited near the monument erected to his memory in St. Pauls 
church : and in order that this may be done in the most respectful and 
honorable manner, the Adjutant General is especially charged with its ex- 
ecution and will proceed immediately to White Hall for that purpose. 

Brigadier General Westerlo will give orders for suitable escorts of cav- 
alry to attend the remains. The cavalry of Washington, Rensselaer and 
Albany counties will perform this service in their I'espective counties. 

The remains will be received by the militia of the city of Albany with 
military honors, at the north line of the city, on the 4th of July, escorted 
to the Capitol and deposited in the (Council Chamber under a guard : min- 
ute guns will be fired on the entrance of the procession. 

Col. Gansevoort and Col. Henry Livingston aids of the commander-in- 
Chief, will in conjunction with Col. L. Livingston, proceed on the 6th of 
July from the city of Albany with the remains to the city of New York, 



332 Legacy or Historical Gleanings. 

and cause them to be conveyed to the Governor's room in the City Hall ; 
and on Wednesday the 8th of July, the funeral solemnities will take place 
under the direction of the Society of the Cincinnati, who will select offi- 
cers of the revolutionary army to bear the pall. 

Major General Morton will direct the military arrangements in the city 
of New York. The Commissary General and the Commissary of the 
Division of Artillery, will see to the necessary issues of ammunition. The 
municipal authorities of the cities of New York, Albany and Troy, are 
respectfully invited to co-operate ; and the Commander-in-Chief takes 
pleasure in the persuasion, that all his fellow citizens will unite with 
alacrity and cheerfulness in these solemn demonstrations of respect. In 
rendering due honor to illustrious heroes and statesmen, we not only 
reward distinguished merit, but excite to new achievements of patriotism 
and glory; and an enlightened and public-spirited people, under the 
guardian of justice and policy, will never withhold their cordial co-ope- 
ration. 

By order of the Commander-in-Chief. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer, Adjutant General. 

General Orders. 

Head Quarters, Albany June 29th, 1818. 

Col. John Williams will order out a Troop of Dragoons from his Regi- 
ment to assemble at Whitehall in Washington county precisely at six 
o'clock on the morning of next Thursday, to escort the remains of the 
gallant but unfortunate Montgomery, by the way of Salem to Buskirk's 
Bridge, where the troop will be relieved by one from Col. Knickerbacker's 
Regiment. 

The adjutant general's official report, to Governor De Witt Clinton, 
on the occasion, will be found very interesting. 

" In conformity to the orders of your Excellency of 29th Inst. I pro- 
ceeded on for White Hall in Washington County, and after making on 
my rout some preliminary arrangements with Cols. Knickerbacker and 
Williams in relation to an escort of Dragoons for removal of the remains 
of the gallant but unfortunate Gen. Montgomery, I reached that place 
early on the morning of Wednesday 1st July, where I found Lewis Liv- 
ingston Esqr., to whom I delivered the brevet Colonel's Commissions 
which your excellency had intrusted to my charge. The remains of 
Genl. Montgomery were safely lodged in a store house on the steam boat 
wharf. That evening Col. John Williams of Salem appeared at the head 
of two troops of Dragoons of his Regiment, under the command of Cap- 
tains McClelland and Cook, and early the next morning this detachment 
paraded to perform the solemn duty for which they were assigned. The 
line of March was taken, precisely at 7 o'clock in the following order : 
First, Col. Williams Dragoons, Next, the Corpse, followed by Col. Liv- 
ingston and myself, 3d, Citizens ; and lastly a rear guard of Dragoons. 
Minute-guns were fired from Navy Point by order of the gallant Lieut. 
Budd, who with a great number of the most respectable citizens of White 
Hall accompanied the procession to West Granville, a distance of nine 
miles; where I found a great concourse of people, and salutes were fired 
on the occasion. 

At East Granville a large collection of people, and a fine Band of Music 
were in waiting and the usual expression of regret for the unfortunate 
dead was shown. At about 5 o'clock that afternoon we reached Salem 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 333 

and were escorted into the Town by the Military and Citizens with mourn- 
ing badges on the left arm ; their Colors and Drums dressed in the like 
manner, and by request, the Coffin was conveyed to the house of Judge 
Blanchard and guarded for the night by the Military. At six o'clock the 
next morning the escort resumed its march, in a steady rain, which con- 
tinued all day. At ten o'clock reached the division line between Wash- 
ington and Rensselaer Counties where Col. Williams and his detachment 
were relieved by Captains Ford and Follitt's Troops of Dragoons com- 
manded by Col. Harmon Knickerbacker who was to have been accompanied 
by about 20 respectable and wealthy old farmers from Schaghticoke, 
headed by Cols. Knickerbacker and Groesbeck from 75 to 90 years of age, 
whose farms are all adjoining, and who still retain the habits and customs 
of their fathers, but were prevented by the incessant rain of that day, a 
grievance to the old veterans. Before I reached Lansingburg, I was met 
by Majors Marcy and Deforest, and the Officers of Colonel Yates' Regi- 
ment in uniform, with a number of Citizens in carriages and on horseback. 

At 5 o'clock I found the Corporation of Troy, headed by the venerable 
old soldier Col. Paulding (the Mayor) and a great collection of the Citi- 
zens at the north bounds of that City, among whom were Genls. Van 
Ness and Thomas; Col. Lane and many other worthies of those trying 
days when Montgomery fell. The cavalcade was unusually fine. 

His remains were deposited in the Court house protected by a Military 
guard, where I found Mr. Mead of Albany, with the superb Coffin made 
under the direction of your Excellency and in which the remains of Gen. 
Montgomery were deposited in the presence of some of the members of 
the Corporation. The arrangements of the Corporation of Troy were 
so perfect, and the military part under the command of Col. H. Knicker- 
backer so well executed, that the procession was in motion before 7 o'clock 
on the morning of the fourth, and by eight o'clock, the hearse, with the 
remains of Genl. Montgomery, moved into the boat, under the discharge 
of Minute-guns, and attended to the waters edge by the Corporation, an 
immense number of Citizens, and the Military drawn up in open order in 
great style. While at Gibbonsville (West Troy), in passing the U. S. 
Arsenal, minute-guns also were fired and Major Laraby had his detach- 
ment drawn up on each side of the road. I feel under great obligation to 
him for the escort he furnished and his own personal attendance. 

The Corporation of Albany, the Citizens and Military, under the com- 
mand of Lieut. Col. Lagrange as Marshal of the day, were drawn up in 
order at the North bounds of the City at 10 o'clock, and precisely at that 
hour we met them. As the movement here, was under the eye of your 
Excellency, I shall not pretend to go into particulars. The pall was 
borne by patriots of the Revolution, two of those — Cols. John Visscher 
and Nicholas Van Rensselaer, were with the gallant man, whose remains 
have been treated with so much respect and veneration from White Hall 
to this place, when he fell at Quebec. Captain Ten Eyck Lansing's 
Company had the honor of guarding the Council Chamber from Saturday 
until this morning, and fired the minute guns. Captains Judson and 
Williams' company performed as usual, well. In appearance and conduct 
the Companies of those gallant officers. Majors Worth and Birdsall of 
U. S. Army,' were such as would naturally be expected from such dis- 
tinguished Officers. A detachment of a Subalterns guard of Major 

'July 12th, Major Birdsall was assassinated. 



334 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Worth's Company, under the Command of Lieut. performs the mili- 
tary duty on board of the Steam boat. 

I have only to add, the arrangements this morning, under Major Ten 
Eyck, my Aid-de-Camp, were prompt and military, and that he gives evi- 
dence of future promise. Before I close this hasty report, I cannot refrain 
from repeating the great obligation I feel myself under to Cols. Williams, 
Kuickerbacker and Livingston, for their zealous support in the discharge 
of the duty your Excellency entrusted to me. 
I am, with great respect 

Your Excellency's Obedt & humble Servt. 
To His Excellency, ) Sol. Van Rensselaer, Adj. General. 

De Witt Clinton, j Albany, July 6, 1818. 

On the lid of the splendid coffin was placed a superb piece of silver 
plate, engraved by Messrs. Shepherd and Boyd of Albany, with the fol- 
lowing inscription ; also another plate of gold, bearing the arms of the 
state. 

" The State of New York 

In Honor of 

General Richard Montgomery, 

who fell gloriously fighting for the independence and 
liberty of the United States before the walls of Quebec, 
the 31st of December, 1775, caused these remains of 
the distinguished here to be conveyed from Quebec, and 
deposited, on the 8th day of July, 1818, in St. Paul's 
Church, in the city of New York, near the monument 
erected to his memory by the United States." 

The bearers were, John Lansing, jun. (chancellor), Stephen Lush, 
John H. Wendell, John Gates [was also at Quebec], John Visscher, 
Matthew Trotter, Wilhelmus Ryckman, Nicholas Van Rensselaer, Elias 
Willard, John Shaw, Samuel Lewis of Saratoga, and John Ten Broeck of 
Hudson. On Monday the pall was borne to the steamboat by the same 
gentlemen, with the exception of Mr. Lewis and Col. Ten Broeck, and 
with the addition of Abraham Ten Eyck, and Matthew Gregory, also 
revolutionary soldiers. 

During the movement of the procession to the Capitol, minute-guns 
were fired and the bells of the city tolled. The remains were kept at the 
Capitol, guarded by Capt. Lansing's company of artillery, until Monday 
morning, when they were removed, escorted by the military, and attended 
by the corporation, and a great number of citizens, to the steam boat Rich- 
mond, and Cols. H. Livingston and Peter Gansevoort (aids to His Excel- 
lency the Governor) and Col. L. Livingston, accompanied them to New 
York, escorted by a subaltern's guard of United States troops from Major 
Worth's detachment. On Sunday, the adjutant general, very obligingly 
attended several hours at the Capitol, for the purpose of gratifying those 
of our citizens who desired it, with a view of the remains. 

The whole proceedings from Whitehall to this place, upon this occasion, 
and the eagerness displayed by all classes and description of people, to testify 
their profound respect and veneration for the memory of the deceased, is 
highly creditable to the feelings, patriotism and character of our citizens. 
The peculiarly appropriate time of the arrival of the remains, rendered the 
occasion doubly interesting — it being the anniversary of that Freedom, 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 335 

for the achievement of which Montgomery Fell ! The respect due 
to the memory of so exalted a character as that of Gen. Montgomery, was 
paid to his remains by the citizens of Hudson as the steam boat passed on 
her way to New York. The military and citizens, to the number of about 
3000 assembled on the bank of the river, an appropriate number of minute- 
guns were fired as the boat moved gently down with the current. The 
flag was suspended half way up the flag-stafi", and the shipping at the 
wharfs also appeared with their colors at half-mast. At New Yoik the 
remains of General Montgomery were deposited with civic and military 
honors. The funeral service was read in a solemn and impressive man- 
ner by the Right Rev. Bishop Hobart, and a short but eloquent eulogium 
pronounced by the Rev. Dr. Mason. The remains were then committed 
to the ground, and volleys of musketry fired in the churchyard by de- 
tachments from the artillery, acting as infantry, and from the governor's 
guard. In New York city the pall-bearers were Col. Varick, (president 
of the Cincinnati,) Col. Trumbull, Col. North, Gen. M. Clarkson, Col. 
M. Willett, Col. Fish, Capt. Trebout and Gen. Giles, 

The hearse and cofiin were very splendid and were flanked by a detach- 
ment of the United States Infantry, under Lieut. Belknap, followed by a 
horse caparisoned in black, and with the usual accompaniments of military 
mourning. The exhibition was imposing, magnificent and solemn. 

The annexed inscription was copied from the Monument in St. Paul's 
churchyard, placed in front of the church itself. " This monument is 
erected by the order of congress, 25th Jan., 1776, to transmit to posterity 
a grateful remembrance of the patriotism, conduct, enterprise, and perse- 
verance, of Maj. Gen. Richard Montgomery, who after a series of 
successes amid the most discouraging difficulties, fell in the attack on 
Quebec, 31st Dec, 1775 aged 87 years. The state of New York caused 
the remains of Maj. Gen. Richard Montgomery to be conveyed from Quebec 
and deposited beneath this monument the 8th day of July, 1818." ^ 

non. John Lovett to Solomon Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Schuyler's Hill, Thursday morning. 

Time, place, and circumstances prevented last evening my direct reply 
to your verbal communication. The solicitude you have long manifested 
for a reconciliation between Judge William W. Van Ness and myself, 
afi'ords a new, but needless pledge of your honorable friendship. Misfor- 
tune must, I think, have exhausted nearly her whole quiver of keen arrows 
at me : but no one ever pierced deeper, than that which severed the cord 
of intimacy between Judge Van Ness and myself. I pondered; wondered; 
and regretted ; and, had it been possible to persuade myself that I was 
not injured, I should have done it. I could not. I could not thus murder 
the friend in my own bosom, honestly testifying in the cause of my honor. 
The evidence of injury was, to me, conclusive : and painful as was the 
task, I decided by it. Of the facts, / am a competent judge ; of the 
motives. Judge Van Ness must judge alone. If it was intention, I lament 

' Albany July 4th, 1818. 
General Solomon Van Rensselaer, Dr. To Henry Shaw. 

•To Making Wads at the time General Montgomery's Bones Arrived at 

Albany, 14.50 

Cash Paid for Horse hire to go to Gibbousville to see after Cannon, 1.25 

Cash paid to Carman for carrying Wads on the Hill, 0.25 

Reed, payment C. A. TenEyck for Henry Shaw. $6.00 



336 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

and resent it ; if inadvertence, I am sorry it was not promptly avowed. 
J.? dk presumption, too far urged upon good nature, I grieve that the shaft 
was not withdrawn, when it was manifest that the wound festered. 
Whether I was right, or wrong, Judge Van Ness ought to have spoken to 
me. If T was right, the path was clear — he owed me an apology. If 
wrong, it was the duty of his friendship to chide me. You know, that I 
seek not to multiply the thorns which beset my path : and God knows, 
that my mangled heart can bear but few more thrusts. But my life and 
my honor must make a contemporaneous exit. I would never press a 
friend, in error, to the extreme of apology ; to know that he is satisfied 
thereof, and regrets the circumstance, is enough for me. /ask no more: 
honor cannot ask less. On that ground I will give Judge Van Ness my 
hand, and my heart will warm it. I seek friendship with all men ; but 
mostly those who are my Country's friends; yet I cannot reach so far for 
friendship as to lose my balance and plunge into disgrace. I cannot be- 
come the object of my own contempt; 'tis the worst of suicide; nor can 
I play the hypocrite, and reach my hand while my heart says no. I write 
this in haste (7 o'clock a.m.), as I must go early to my office. If I ad- 
vance a single incorrect sentiment, be you my impartial judge, and point 
to it with the finger of friendship. Yours most truly, 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Cherry Hill. John Lovett. 

"In June, 1817, Mr. Lovett went on an excursion to the western 
country, for the purpose of providing a residence for himself and family 
from which he never returned. He located at Fort Meigs on the river 
Maumee ; the bank of the river at the little village of Perrysburg — com- 
menced by Mr. Lovett and named after Commodore 0. H. Perry — is 
almost one hundred feet in height. The change in the manner of living 
and the hardships incident to an unsettled country, proved too severe 
at so late a period of life, and brought on a degree of debility, under 
which he languished many months, and to which he finally fell a victim : 
Died. At Fort Meigs, Ohio, on the 12th of August 1818, the Hon. John 
Lovett of Albany, N. Y., aged 58 years. As a companion and friend, 
rarely has the world beheld one his superior. His coloquial powers were 
almost unrivaled, his wit flashed on every occasion, his humor was proba- 
bly never excelled. He twice represented the district in the house of 
representatives of the United States. In that situation he discharged his 
duties with great fidelity and punctuality. His devotion to his country 
was unbounded, and he was ever deeply interested in its prosperity. He 
was a staunch federalist, but went with his party when in 18 P2 the Fede- 
ralists coalesced with the Clintonian Democrats, because conscious of their 
inability to elect a candidate of their own." 

Ge7i. Stephen Van Rensselaer to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Charleston, Jany. 9th, 1819. 

Your letter was very interesting to me at this distance from all whoiu I 
hold dear. I am happy to find our Agricultural Society was organized so 
harmoniously and I am satisfied with the judicious choice of Managers, 
with one exception — myself. Watson has written to me that now he is 
going to organize one in Rensselaer County, and modestly asks from me 
the same patronage that I afford to Albany ; and also to offer a Farm in 
fee to the best Cultivator of a Farm &c. cStc. I shall not be backward in 
subscribing provided it is supported by Men of Property in Troy and 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 337 

Lansingburgh. Your Bill I am advised will pass the Senate — as well as 
the other branch as honorably.' Pray write to me what is doing at Albany, 
who will bo Senator and who Judges &c., all the intrigues, and how 
Clinton stands. I am pleased that he is to be married so well. Mrs. K. 
unites with me in regards to your good Lady and amiable Daughters — 
tell llensselaer I hope he is very studious. Respects to Jacob and all 
friends frona Your friend, 

My health is improved in this mild climate. S. V. Hensselaer. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Adjt. Grcneral, Albany, N. Y. 

Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Solomon, Hudson, 14th July, 1819. 

I received your letter & thank you for it. 

The Council has done nobly, tho' there are several removals which 
ought to have been made, as well in this County as elsewhere, at the same 
time I must not be considered as a grumbler — much good has been done, 
and the effect I do not doubt, will be extensively useful and beneficial. 
The Governor has certainly acted with the utmost liberality & firmness, 
and given a character to his administration which is very much needed. 
The battle is however but barely begun, and unless he himself and his 
friends at Albany are indefatigable in their exertions, you may rely upon 
it, all may yet be lost. 

I have just understood that Van Buren [Martin Van Buren, attorney- 
general,] has left Albany on an excursion which will take him about a 
fortnight — where has he gone? I have no doubt he is on a visit to such 
of the Democratic members in Montgomery & elsewhere as he can well 
operate upon. It ought to be counteracted at once by the friends of the 
Governor. I will see you at the August term. 

Yours afi'ectionately. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer. W. W. Van Ness. 

The council of revision consisted of the governor, chancellor, chief 
justice, and judges of the supreme court. At this time James Kent was 
the chancellor ; Smith Thompson, chief justice ; Ambrose Spencer, William 
W. Van Ness, Joseph C. Yates, Jonas Piatt were justices of the supreme 
court. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer had received his commission to be a major 
general, from the council of appointment in March, and subsequently we 
find him laboring on the political arena at Washington. He served the 
two consecutive sessions as a member in congress faithfully and ably, 
giving, during the whole of his congressional career, general satisfaction. 
He left Albany November 29, 1819, and on Monday, the 6th day of 
December, being the first session of the sixteenth congress held under 
the constitution of the United States, Gen. Van Rensselaer took his 
seat, having been unanimously elected representative, from the ninth 
district without opposition, in the house of representatives. " After a 
statesmanlike and comprehensive survey of the respective spheres of 
the political bodies, he took his stand on the platform of the party he 
represented and became a ' working man.' He was conscious of the 
abuses of political life, and in his daily routine exercised much practical 
wisdom." Again in 1821 the same distinguished honor was conferred 

' " Stephen Van Rensselaer has the credit of carryintjf the important bill for the 
encouragemesit and improvement of agriculture, through the legislature. He 
was elected president of the board of agriculture in 1820." 

43 



838 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

upon him, by an overwhelming majority over his Democratic competitor 
and fellow townsman, the Hon. Harmanus Bleecker, who was, in the year 
1839, appointed United States minister to the Hague. He well knew 
and could say " the more I have observed of the world, the more I am 
satisfied that little reliance is ever to be placed on what is called friends. 
When the hour of trouble comes, and you call upon these friends, and 
request a little sacrifice to be made, in ninety cases out of a hundred, 
they turn their backs upon you, and desert you with all imaginable in- 
diflference." It was clear to him, that every one's duty was to try to be 
in a situation, where he would have no favors to ask and such he wished 
to obtain. 

Officers of the Government of the United States: James Monroe, presi- 
dent ; Daniel D. Tompkins, vice president ; John Q. Adams, secretary 
of state; William H. Crawford, secretary of the treasury : John C. Cal- 
houn, secretary of war; Smith Thompson, secretary of the navy ; Return 
J. Meigs, postmaster general; William Wirt, attorney general. 

Representatives of the State of New York in Congress : XVITH CON- 
GRESS. — Silas Wood, Ebenezer Sage, Henry Meigs, Peter H. Wendover, 
Caleb Tompkins, Eandell S. Street, James Strong, Walter Case, Jacob 
H. De Witt, Robert Clark, Solomon Van Rensselaer, John D. Dickinson, 
John W. Taylor, Nathaniel Pitcher, Ezra C. Gross, Harmanus Peck, 
John Fay, Robert Monell, Joseph S. Lyman, Henry R. Storrs, Aaron 
Hackley, Jun., William D. Ford, George Hall, Jonathan Richmond, Caleb 
Baker, Nathaniel Allen, Alhert H. Tracy. 

Senators, Nathan Sanford, Rufus King. 

1820. Officers of the Government of the State of New York : His 
Excellency l)e Witt Clinton, governor; Hon. John Tayler, lieut.gov.; 
James Kent, chancellor ; Ambrose Spencer, chief justice ; William W. 
Van Ness, Joseph C. Yates, Jonas Piatt, John Woodworth, justices of the 
supreme court. Gerrit Y. Lansing, judge of the court of probates ; John 
V. N. Yates, secretary of state ; Archibald M'Intyre, comptroller ; Garret 
E. Dox, treasurer; Simeon De Witt, surveyor-general; Thomas J. Oak- 
ley, attorney-general ; Anthony Lamb, commissary general. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, adjutant-general. 

Peter Gansevoort, judge advocate general. 

Samuel L. Mitchill, surgeon general. 

Oen. Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 
My Dear Harriot, Washington, Dec. 18, 1819. 

I have been so much pressed with calls and calling on others, dispatch- 
ing papers and documents, that I have not been able before to give you an 
account of our Mess. There are ten of us together, Rucktails, Democrats, 
and Federalists ; Wendover of New York, and Tompkins of Westchester 
(brother of Vice President) are among the number, all political discussions 
are prohibited. We pay ten dollars a week for our board ; cider and ale 
are the only drinks at our table which are at our cost, and as to eatables 
we are well furnished. My expenses including everything will fall short 
of what I contemplated. 

The climate is fine and well calculated for my shattered frame, we have 
neither had snow or rain since I have been here, and the weather is al- 
most like June with us at the north. I wish P]iizabeth would send me, 
without delay the printed orders organizing the Militia into twenty-five 
Divisions; if there is no order to be found in my office, let her take it 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 339 

from the Orderly Book. I only waut the Major-Generals aad the num- 
ber of the brigades attached to each. lam one of the Military Committee 
and my military duty will be this winter amusing to me. Let Rensselaer 
request Major Clinton to send me any Military papers which may be in his 
Father's office. I am in high repute here; Mr. Clay, the Speaker, Mr. 
Randolph and other great men are very friendly to me. Clay wished to 
place me at the head of the Committee upon Military Aifairs, the duties 
of which are very extensive, and I could only get rid of it, by saying that 
the Military duties of my own State (as Adjutant General) would not 
allow me to pay the attention that was necessary. He then appointed the 
noted General Smyth who is every thing my ideas had formed of him — a 
very great fool ! I attend a party at the French Ministers to night and 
have been to the party of Mrs. Adams. 

Your affectionate Husband, SoL. Van Rensselaer. 

Qen. Lewis to SoL Van Rensselaer. 

My dear General, Staatsburg 31 Decem,, 1819. 

Accept my unfeigned thanks for your polite attention in transmitting 
me a copy of the President's Message, and accompanying documents, relat- 
ing to the Spanish Negotiations. I feel the obligation the more sensibly, 
by contrasting it with the conduct of some pretended friends, who were 
assiduous, on every occasion, to load me with civilities, as long as I had 
the power of serving them, and no longer. Self is, so generally, the great 
incentive to human action, and so few have been the exceptions I have 
met with, through the course of a long life, that when they do occur the 
gratification is much heightened by the reflection. 

Congress have, at this Session, to act on two very interesting Subjects. 
The final issue of which I look for with no small anxiety. I need scarcely 
say, I allude to our Aflairs with Spain, and the question of admitting the 
new States, west of the Mississippi, into the Union, on condition of their 
prohibiting Slavery. I hope to see the first conducted with firmness and 
moderation. The Second I view as far the most important. My feelings 
are in favor of fi*eedom — and I have uniformly indulged them, with respect 
to my own Slaves — having liberated all that were old enough. But all 
that has been said, and written on the Subject, has not been sufficient to 
satisfy my mind, of the right of Congress, to impose conditions of admission 
into the Union, unknown to the constitution, and repugnant to the Idea 
of Equality/. Should it be persisted in, it requires no Prophet to foresee 
that it will terminate in a Severance of Empire. 

Flow stand opinions at Washington, among men who do not sacrifice 
every consideration to party (if any such you are acquainted with) as to 
the Question between the Vice President [Daniel D. Tompkins] and the 
Comptroller [Archibald Mclutyre] of this State? Much pains has been 
taken here, to make it altogether a party Question, particularly by those 
who wish to bring forward the VicePi'esident as the Opponent of Mr. Clinton, 
at the next election for President ; under the idea that he will be the most 
powerful opponent. I have little, if any thing, to do with politicks : and 
am pretty much surrounded by persons very hostile to Mr. Clinton. Yet, 
among those, I can discover that the Comptroller's Statements, of defalca- 
tion, have made a deep Impression. 

Accept assurances of sincere friendship from Your faithful 

Morgan Lewis. 

Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer, in Congress, Washington. 



340 Legacy of Histobical Gleanings. 

General Jackson had been very demonstrative respecting our Spanish 
affairs ; his conduct was censured by very many but approved of by the 
president. He had marched into Florida, taken possession of St. Marks j 
and two of the principal men in the Spanish garrison being accused of ex- 
citing the Seminole Indians to hostilities, were tried by a court martial, 
and executed by his orders. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 

Washington Jany. 3, 1820. 

I thank you my dear Harriot for your affectionate letter, nothing since 
I left home has given me half the pleasure. Indeed if it was not for the 
interest of you and our dear ones, nothing would induce me to be here, 
the sacrifice of feeling and comfort are too great in being separated. 
Were you with me I should be perfectly happy, this would be my home 
as well as Albany or any other place, and if fortune smiles on us, you 
must accompany me next Session, and divest yourself of the cares of a 
family at least for a season ; my heart is now, as it always has been entirely 
devoted to you. I told you of my fixed resolution to go only once to the 
parties of the Head of Departments, the foreign Ministers and to Col. 
Taylor, who formerly belonged to the Dragoons with me and then I halt. 
I have nearly finished those I intended to go to — the Presidents, the 
Secretaries of War and Treasury are the last, excepting the one for to 
morrow, and there I shall go out of curiosity ; was you to see me at those 
places, as well as all others, you would be gratified. Tell the girls as soon 
as I have time, I will give them an account of those parties — but of 
course thei/ would think them not equal to those at Albany. How grati- 
fied I feel at the good conduct of Rensselaer, nothing can be more grateful to 
the heart of a parent which you do and can feel. I have procured you a 
fine pair of Spectacles, and a pair for myself, as I can only write at night 
and now can do so as well as in the day. From the inclosed letter to the 
Patroon — which I wish you to read — you will see how my time is taken 
up ; seal and send it by Rensselaer. I now return Margaretta's honora- 
ble school Certificate, and inclose a little present for her. I am much 
gratified. Good night my dear Harriot, kiss our flock for me. 

Yours unalterably 

Mrs, Van Rensselaer. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Friend, Albany 5th January, 1820. 

We yesterday obtained a glorious victory. John C. Spencer is Speaker 
by a majority of 13 — our actual majority is about 17 in the Assembly and 
I think we shall increase it in a few days. Every thing here at present 
looks well ; and of one thing you may rest assured that Daniel D. Tompkins 
is utterly and totally disgraced and annihilated. Yet I believe he will be 
the Jacobin Candidate, but we shall beat him from ten to fifteen thous- 
and. We are however obliged to be industrious. The powerful Bucktail 
Corps is here in all their strength. They are violent and abusive be- 
yond example, the great attack on me is to be made in the Assembly in a 
day or two. [As to legislative corruption, in regard to the charter of the 
bank of America, which was bought through, it was said, in which trans- 
action Elislia Williams, William W. Van Ness, and other eminent men 
were thought to be disgracefully implicated.] I am ready for them. I 
wish you was here. The Patroon has behaved like a man. Why don't 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 341 

you write to me ? There is a report here that J. D. Dickenson is hostile 
and that he has become more so at Washington. I know this is a false- 
hood, but T want you to see him and to let me hear from you. Speak 
boldly at Washington, about Clinton. My federal friends in the Assembly 
have behaved nobly. We are nearly unanimous. lu fact there are but 
about four apostates. George Tibbits and Elisha B. Strong of Ontario 
are the only unexpected apostates. Rufus King will be chosen Senator, 
though many of the bucktails are violently opposed to him. It would be 
very easy to defeat him, but I am decidedly in favor of his appointment. 
We feel well and strong, but we may be deceived. I want you to be- 
come acquainted with Henry R. Storrs of Columbia County, a member of 
your house. He is a clever fine fellow and one of our most eloquent men 
in Congress. 

W. W. Van Ness. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq. In Congress, Washington. 

This eminent jurist, Judge Van Ness, was just and discriminating and 
possessed high intellectual elements which enabled him to adorn the 
bench, and made him very careful of the reputation of others. Politi- 
cal parties, however, then as now, in the zeal of heated contests, greatly 
exaggerated the consequences for good or evil, which were to result from 
their success or failure. 

The Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Sir, Watervliet Jan. 11, 1820. 

This morning Mr. Clinton's Council was elected. Mr. Dudley [Charles 
E.] obtained several Federal votes, McKown [James] among the number, 
and George Tibbits I understand voted the whole Bucktail ticket. John 
Lounsberry has eight more votes than Dudley. The Clintonians are in 
high spirits. The Vice-President, it is said, will be too heavy a weight 
and it is probable Judge Yates will be the Candidate. I think it very 
doubtful who will succeed. Pray tell me how you are pleased at Wash- 
ington. Remember me to my friend Randolph. I hope you have visited 
Colonel Johnson of Kentucky, he was our friend. 

I was last evening elected President of the Board of Agriculture, one 
deferential vote. Watson solicited the appointment, and is really ex- 
tremely vexed at his failure. Your friend, 

S. V. Rensselaer. 

Major Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, M. C. Washington. 

Judge Van Ness to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Albany 18th Jany., 1820. 

I have just received yours and thank you for it. The state of things 
here is daily and hourly improving. It is with equal pride and exulta- 
tion that I confidently assert, that I have never known any administration 
surrounded and supported by such a combination of talent — virtue — 
and patriotism as Governor Clintons. There is not now an influential or 
respectable federalist who is not with us. The few who have gone off" are 
objects of disgust and contempt. We are erecting upon the most solid 
basis, a glorious edifice which will I trust long remain the boast and orna- 
ment of our State and elevate its character both at home and abroad. 
The parricides from our State at Washington last winter I know have 
done much, too much, to misrepresent and degrade us, but we shall give 
the lie to our calumniators, by such a demonstration of moral power and 



342 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

wisdom, as will extort applause, when otherwise it would be withheld by 
envy, meanness, or malignity. I repeat, the good and great of all nations 
are rallying about our State Administration with a vigor and zeal that is 
unexampled, while you see collected in the opposite ranks every specula- 
tive-disgraced petifogger and public defaulter. The whole phalanx of 
public plunderers, who, under the great leader of all that is base and dis- 
honorable — Tompkins, lived upon the treasury, is in dismay, and shudder 
at the appalling denunciation which now thunders from the Capitol " the 
day of plunder shall be no more." I rejoice to hear my worthy friend 
Dickinson feels as I knew he would feel. He is not the only honest man 
who has been claimed by the apostates among us. John W. Wheeler has 
been wavering, but I believe he is now settled down with us. It is yet 
doubtful who will be the opposing Candidate. Tompkins is daily expected 
here, and I suspect will finally be nominated. Great efforts are made to 
induce Thompson to stand, but he is too wise I hope to consent, tho' don't 
however care a rush who is taken up, we challenge the whole field, and 
will beat any man by more than 10,000 majority. Our friend McKown 
does not behave well. He split his ticket in the question of Council, and 
separates himself from all those to whom he owes his election as Member 
of Assembly. However we don't give him up — he is a man of honor 
and will, we hope, finally do what is right. Your family is well. In great 
haste my Dear Solomon, I am yours, W. W. Van Ness. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, In Congress, Washington. 

" The New York legislature about these times had some few members 
to represent their constituents who cared but little for etiquette. Among 
these was a major who manifested his singular indifference to the most 
common observances of cultivated life, by his inveterate habit of spitting 
in every direction upon the carpet. One day when preparing a speech to 
be delivered before the august body of his peers, Sl servant came into his 
room to perform some office, and observing this filthy habit, shoved the 
spittoon in front of him : the major was oblivious, and out went another 
mouthful to the left; the servant moved the polished receptacle of filth to 
the left. The eyes of the major were still bent upon his paper, and his 
mouth was working nervously ; it soon filled, and away went another 
copious ejectment, this time to the right. The major's salivary glands 
rapidly secreted again, and while his lips were gathering for one grand 
discharge in front, the servant gave the appurtenance a desperate shove 
with the broom in that direction. ' Now, see here?' said the major, 'do 

you take that d d thing right out of the way, or I'll spit in it ? ' This 

story soon leaked out." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My dear Harriet, Washington, Jany. 22d, 1820. 

I this evening received your letter of Jany. Yitli; thanks to my 
Spectacles or I could not answer it. I hail that day [the anniversary of 
marriage] as the happiest of my life ; if some part of the time since has 
been checkered, it was owing to Rascals who have injured me in private 
as well as in public life. No young man who started in life as I did, has 
made greater exertions, in public or private life, to provide for a wife I 
adored and her children, than I have done. And after surmounting all 
difficulties to be cut sliort in both — the one purchased with my blood, 
and the other with the sweat of my brow — had nearly overcome ray 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 343 

reason ; and I know the eiFects of which had nearly destroyed me. Those, 
too, for whom those feelings were excited on some occasions, I regret were 
the suiferers, but it is past, forgot my love those occurrences. I shall do 
all I can for you and ours ; if my means were only equal to my wishes, 
you should be completely happy. You and they deserve and possess the 
tenderest feelings of husband and father ; dismiss then all fears, and make 
yourself as happy as our separation will admit of This advice I give you 
without being able to practice it myself, for I assure you that I feel as if 
I was alone in the world without you. If you was only with me, my situa- 
tion would be enviable, for in every other respect I am comfortable. In 
my dear wife and children my attachment and every wish upon earth is 
centred. If I return to this place, I pray to Grod to be enabled to bring 
you with me, I shall then be perfectly happy, and make you so too. Write 
to me as often as you can, I look with anxiety for every mail and feel 
disappointed if I do not get a letter from one of you. I cannot write as 
frequently as I wish, for independent of my duties here, I have communi- 
cations from every part of the State and even out of it, they must con- 
sider me a great man and that I can force through any thing for them. 
I attend to all as far as I can, at all events I answer them. I have now 
got through with the parties at the Heads of Departments and Foreign 
Ministers. All the dinner and evening parties I have declined on account 
of my wounds ; while this excites sympathy, it saves me much time and 
expense in hack hire. * * * 

I received your letter of last Monday [March 20th, 1820,] for which I 
thank you. The account of the winking and nodding of my dear little 
pets was very interesting and very gratifying to " papa." Kiss the little 
dears for me. Write as often as you can, which will be reciprocated 
by me as often as our business, which is beginning to press, will 
allow. Tell Rensselaer to act prudently and attend closely to his 
studies and the concerns of the family. Let me know how things are 
going on in relation to the farm. I am very pleasantly situated in a pru- 
dent Mess, but it is nothing like home. How I wish to see our little ones, 
tell Harriet Maria and " Dada," that I will bring them a pretty doll. Is 
your River closed ? the weather here is quite warm. If you want anything 
let me know. Ever and Sincerely your atfectionate husband, 

Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

In' the letter above referred to, my mother had written : " The prattle of 
our little pets is incessant. Catharina tells everybody that you have sent me 
* two Eyes from Washington.' You can have no idea how she does 
chatter; she came out from the front room, the other day and said, ' Papa 
did wink at me.' Then Harriet Maria replied, ' He did shake his head 
for me.' They look at your portrait so long that they really fmcy as 
true, what they entertain each other with." While General Van Rens- 
selaer was in Washington, a large portrait, painted on canvas by the 
celebrated Ezra Ames, and just completed, was brought home. Your 
mother, dear Hattie, then a child of not four years, had not seen our 
father for many months; she was present when the strikingly correct 
picture was uncovered. Not a word was spoken till the little one clapped 
her hands, and then after gazing at it for a moment with a surprised ex- 
pression, exclaimed in a grieved tone of voice, after running to our mother — 
'■'■ Poor papa got no legs !" All of the interested family present, were de- 



344 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

lighted with the child's naivete, and Mr. Ames declared he desired no 
better evidence of its being a perfect likeness and a beautiful painting. 

" Mr. Ames took Sir Joshua Reynolds for his guide in early life, and 
through him became acquainted with every really eminent painter, 
ancient or modern ;" and many years previous to this satisfactory produc- 
tion, it was said " friends have witnessed the mighty efforts of Ames's 
genius in the line of his noble profession, and the day is not far distant 
when the brush of Stuart shall meet its rival in Albany. An elegant 
portrait of the Hon. George Clinton when vice president of the United 
States, painted just before his death in 1812, by Mr. Ames of Albany 
was sent to the Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia.'' [See frontis- 
piece for portrait.] 

Judge Spencer to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany, Feb. 15, 1820. 

Will you have the goodness to hand the enclosed to Gen. Brown, it 
will reach him safer in this channel. So Tompkins stands his hand — and 
thus ends the deception practiced upon the federal tammanies at the begin- 
ning of the Session. We will cure his itch to come before the people — rely 
upon it be will fail by many thousands. Is it true that he was against any re- 
striction in regard to slavery in Missouri? It is very important that we should 
be able to fix that charge upon him if it be true — let me know as soon as 
possible. You may remember that we conversed about some Mangle 
Wurtzel seed before you went on — dou't forget to procure me a pound of 
it as you return thro' Philadelphia, enquire for the best kind. Is there 
such a thing to be procured in Philadelphia as Orchard Grass seed ? 
What is the price and when is it to be sowed ? 

Your friend Judge Van Ness, I have no doubt, will come out as pure as 
gold from the refiners hand. Yours Sincerely 

Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer, A. Spencer. 

Representative in Congress, Washington. 

The late Chief Justice Ambrose Spencer was a severe and stern, but 
also a just and humane judge. His mind was remarkable for tbe quickness 
of its perceptions, for its penetration and its comprehensiveness. He 
died March 13, 184:8, in the eighty-third year of his age. 



CHAPTER XVL 

The Missouri Compromise. 



Judge Van If ess to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Friend, Albany, Feb. 20, 1820. 

I have no time to say any thing more about politics, except that we 
shall carry the election, and as I verily believe by an immense majority. 
The residue of my letter must be short and relate to my own concerns. 
[His Impeachment.] You mentioned to me a conversation you had with 
Mr. Fowler of Newburgh, in which he stated to you the reasons assigned 
by B. for attacking and endeavouring to destroy me. The testimony of 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 345 

Mr. Fowler may be imporfcant to me, and I will be much oblicred to you 
to give me a detailed statement of what Mr. Fowler communicated to you, 
your name shall not be revealed. I understand Mr. King speaks disre- 
.speetfully of me, and injures me when he can. Do you know any thing 
of this ? I hear too Dickinson is more than cold towards me and for that 
reason I am afraid to write to him as I had intended to do. How do you 
iinderstand him ? I hear he is a violent Tammany man and regret it. 
One word more and I have done — my enemies are malignant — inde- 
fatigable — and profligate — I set them at defiance ; and tho' I feel 
mortified and indignant at the base attempts made to destroy me, I am 
tranquil and firm in the midst of persecution. I hope my friends will 
have reason to say I meet the shock like a man, and that I have never 
wavered, nor faukered for a single moment. I wish it had so happened 
that you could be here — but that is out of the question — one of the 
principal witnesses against me, I understand is Gat. Van Wie. 

Yours affectionately, 
Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer, In Congress. W. W. Van Ness. 

Dr. Van Rensselaer to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Green Bush, March 1, 1820. 

You will excuse me for intruding a few moments upon your time, 
when you have so many important concerns on hand, if I say that you 
may do me a favor. In 1814, I had employed Mr. G. V. Denniston in 
some business relative to my deceased brother John — and had supposed 
that it was all settled — when he told me yesterday that by requesting 
your attention I could recover some considerable pay that was due at the 
time of his death. He says, that the only thing requisite would be an 
Examination of the Returns of the 23rd Regt. (of Infantry I think) in 
which he enlisted on the 25th of April, 1814. It will be there seen how 
much pay he had received and what balance was still due. Your atten- 
tion to this will much oblige me. Will you inform me if any, and what 
other steps may be necessary ? Since my return home from Europe, it 
has often been my intention, and still oftener my wish to write to you. 
1 know not how it is, but the Genius of Laziness seems to claim as vota- 
ries all those who reside at Green Bush, and to throw her spells over all 
visitors. Indeed for a non-resident there are so few attractions in this 
place that I should be half dead, if it was not for your good family. Yours 
is the only house in Albany I visit, and I see the folks often and always 
with renewed pleasure. Poor little Harriet Maria has suffered greatly, 
but everything has assumed a more favorable appearance than when I 
first saw her. Inclosed is a slip from the news-paper containing an ac- 
count of part of my trip — ascent to Mount Vesuvius. 

If the domestic circle is quiet, the Political world is all in confusion 
and tumult. The nominations of Daniel D. Tompkins and Genl. 3Ioore's 
you have doubtless seen in the public prints. Of their addresses to the 
Electors I say nothing — but that they were penned by the fellows who 
alone voted against Rufus King as our Senator. Their last Meeting is 
said to be the largest that has ever assembled in Albany — Query — How 
many of them were entitled to voted for Governor ? The arraignment of 
Judge Van Ness has, I am sorry to say, made an unfavorable impression 
in the minds of many good federalists — and thus their infernal schemes 
are succeeding, even when they shall be forced to acquit him. One of 
44 



3i6 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

their party lately told me, "If we can't prove bim guilty, liis reputation 
will at any rate be damned." I trust however that his character will 
stand still unblemished in the minds of the most respectable part of the 
community. For the present adieu — If your time allows, I shall be 
happy to hear from you — to ask it, is almost too much when you have 
so many demands upon you. We are all well here, thank God. 

I remain, yours Most Sincerely, 

Jer. Van Rensselaer. 
Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, M. C, Washington. 

While Dr. Van Rensselaer was traveling in Europe, his instructive and 
pleasant letters were frequently published in the leading journals of the 
day. He subsequently took his family abroad, remaining many years, and 
in 1852 moved into what was once called the " Cralo Fort^' at Green- 
bush. 

" The following extract of a letter is from Dr. -Jeremiah Van Rensselaer 
of Greenbush, New York — a young gentleman now in Europe, and where 
he has been for several years, to complete his studies in the medical art." 
April 20, 1819. I begin my letter to you on the crater of Mount Vesuvius. 
The extreme heat of the river of lava, by the light of which I wrote the 
above, prevented my continuing. We have descended about 150 feet — 
our guides would go no farther. Our company have gone to Naples. H. 
and myself have determined to pass this night here, and are now writing 
by the light of a torch on warm lava, that flowed seven days ago An 
eruption of some consequence took place last night, and the lava is running 
in a stream of about 7 feet wide, at the rate of about three miles an hour. 
Nothing can possibly be imagined more sublime — the smoke issuing from 
the glowing torrent, is like a cloud of fire — part of the mount seems on 
fire, while below it appears the very centre of desolation and gloom. At 
break of day we mount again, to descend further into the crater, and see 
the sun rise from its mouth. I may perhaps try more experiments. I have 
written your name in the burning lava, arid it has cooled — the piece is 
beside me. I also put in a five franc piece — the impression is good, and 
you shall one day see it. Our torch is about going out, and I must stop 
to finish to-morrow at Naples. Two distinct eruptions have just taken 
place, and cast out heated stones to the height of 100 or 150 feet. Naples, 
22d. I scarcely know what you will think when you open this letter. If 
it was not for the sake of the place where I began it, you should never see 
it. We passed the night very well on the mountain. Our guides cleared 
away the larger stones, and left us none bigger than eggs — we spread our 
great coats in this little hollow, and were comfortable enough. We re- 
quired no covering — at our feet issued a small column of heated air — 
beneath us too warm air oozed up ; but the great coats prevented our being 
steamed. H. found that he was too warm, and got up to walk about. I laid 
quiet to enjoy the superb sight before me. Some provisions were sent to us 
by the party — it arrived about eleven o'clock. Fatigue was a good opiate, 
and our sleep was sweet. Our guides slept on the bare stones beside us. 
At 3 o'clock we took some bread and wine, and began again the ascent. 
Our route now lay in another direction. It was not so difficult as tliat we 
had ascended the evening before. Before 5 we were at the top, and waited 
only a few minutes to see the purple tinge of the horizon gradually change 
into brightened gold. A sea of cloud floated far beneath us — it resem- 
bled an undulated plain of cotton, whose edges were tinged and burnished 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 347 

by the first rays of the morning. The scenery below was lost — naught 
appeared but the fiery summit on which we stood, and the tops of lofty 
mountains around that rose above the clouds that settled on their sides. 

We continued our labor, and got near the mouth of the crater — the 
wind drove the smoke towards us, and we were obliged to descend and try 
the other side. We rose to the highest point, and thence a gradual 
descent took us to the mouth of the largest crater. Its shape constantly 
varied — at present there are two fountains, whence issue the smoke and 
stones. We could not observe the bottom very plainly — to descend was 
impossible. The smaller crater has three of these nostrils or breathing 
holes, smaller than the first, but more active. The wind drove the smoke 
in such a manner, that we saw the bottom on the other side. Our guides 
were urging us to descend — a shower of hot stones and cinder had more 
influence than their entreaties. The Lava is seen in neither crater, but 
flows through a subterranean canal, almost horizontal ; and does not appear 
till it forces through the crust about 150 yards from the crater. It forms 
at once a river about seven feet wide, and flows at the rate of between 2^ 
and 3 miles an hour; its depth cannot be told. The present stream 
issued in this spot seven days ago, and continues still running — it re- 
sembles flowing liquid iron, running in a gutter, which it seems to have 
formed, having on either side a perpendicular wall of lava, about three 
inches thick, serving as a kind of raceway. About a mile from the orifice, 
it spreads into a large bed or lake, and there cools, gradually becoming- 
black on the surface, and still glowing beneath. Occasionally the river 
changes its course — this gave an opportunity of breaking several times 
the crust that covers tlje stream, to see the hot lava below. In some 
places, where all was cold, we broke it and found it quite hollow beneath, 
by the extrication of the gas. Usually a heavy wind breaks the crusts, 
and then they fall in every direction, giving the whole mountain a terrific 
appearance. At a distance it looks like new ploughed land, and of the 
same colour : as we approach, it is much more rough and hideous. Having 
taken some more impressions in the lava, we turned to survey the scene 
around us. The clouds hung on the foot of the mountain, and only per- 
mitted us to see the gloomy cone on which we stood. The genius of 
desolation may be said to reign over this dreary realm ; not a sign of 
vegetation relieves the eye, wearied and sad with the horrible and bleak 
expanse that environed us : How melancholy are the feelings excited in 
such a situation 1 How much more so are the recollections it recalls] I 
felt as if we alone stood on the ruins of the universe — as if chaos was 
come again ; nor can I think of it without emotion. A long and distress- 
ing walk on the broken lava brought us to the place where we had slept. 
Our last descent began here, and when once at the foot of the upper part 
of the mountain, we rapidly went in seven minutes, the same distance 
that we were an hour in ascending the day before. The fathers received 
us kindly at the hermitage, where we breakfasted on bread and wine. 
The clouds had now dispersed, and we enjoyed a view of the superb bay of 
Naples. I mui^t say (nor do I know how far prejudice influences my 
saying so), that it is inferior to the bay of New York. The famed places 
that skirt its shores, give to it a reputation and a classic interest that New 
York cannot boast — and as long as Homer, Virgil, Horace and Pliny 
are read so long will this bay be the most interesting in the world. In- 
dependent of these writers, the fertile soil that envelops the foot of 
Vesuvius, with its burning craters, the number of cities and villages de- 



348 Legacy of Historical Gleaninos. 

stroyed by its dreadful workings, will ever attract the lover of landscape 
and the student of nature. The cities over which we walk — the palaces 
over which we sail — the lakes, half swallowed — and mountains ejected 
in a single night — all add to the interest of the place. 

Such were my thoughts as my mule came down the base of the mount- 
ain, at the little village of Rescina, from whence we had descended the 
day before into Herculaneum. The theatre alone is now shown ; some 
persons having been lost in the excavations, they are closed to the public — ■ 
and through the inadvertency of others, we are deprived of pleasure and 
instruction. To Pompeii is 8 miles, and we took a kind of chaise for the 
day. The Neapolitan chaise, or cabriolet, is a very small gig, into which 
two very suiall persons may squeeze ; one of them drives, and the coach- 
man stands behind to whip the horse, which is exclusively his prerogative, 
and the passenger cannot prevent him from making the horse run all the 
distance. Pompeii, as it is shown to visitors, is more interesting than 
Herculaneum ; since it is part of a city exposed to light, and open to day. 
We walk by daylight in the streets ; enter the houses and temples, and 
visit the forum and tombs, the same as any ancient town — but cannot 
forget, that since the year 79, till within a short time, the ashes of Vesu- 
vius have hid it from the day. The temple of Isis is the most complete; 
few houses have the second story ; the first are perfect, and are easily 
known. Thus several cook-shops, a bake-house, a surgeon's or druggist's, 
a milkman's &c., are at once recognized by the signs painted on the walls, 
and frequently the name is seen too. One of the streets must have been 
superb; it yet exhibits the marks of carriage wheels. The workmen and 
guides are very strict; I wanted a small square piece of marble, which 
served as a floor to one of the courts — although it laid loose on the ashes, 
yet they replaced it : nor had a bribe far beyond its intrinsic value, any 
efi'ect. They gave me to understand that both their necks would answer 
for it. 

I wrote to you from Leghorn. We went from thence to Pisa, Lucca, 
and Florence ; the latter is a beautiful and interesting place, in the vale 
of Arno, one of the most luxuriant in the world. From Florence to Rome 
is 200 miles, we arrived in the Holy Week, and saw the ceremonies of 
Easter. The religious ceremonies were the most splendid I ever saw. 
The pope, 20 cardinals, 30 bishops, and lots of deacons officiated — about 
30.000 persons were in St. Peter's during the service. We got by chance 
with the ambassadors ; but though luck favored us in the cathedral, it left 
us to shift for ourselves at the door, and we mingled in a crowd of 150,000 
persons who knelt to receive the benediction of his holiness. 

The illumination of St. Peter's and the fire works, were superb beyond 
description. They are said to have cost more than one million of dollars, 
and still his holiness cannot clear his dominions of banditti — be is too 
poor! Part of the way from Rome to this place, guard houses are built 
every quarter of a mile, and we had frequently a soldier on each side of 
the carriage to protect us from robbers. Still the traveller sees every mile 
crosses erected on the grave of some murdered traveller, or the limb of 
some wretched victim of the law. 

From Rome we crossed the Pontine marshes — the travelling is 10 miles 
an hour — the people look as if nature was sinking to rest; still they are 
the only contented folks I have seen in Italy. Formerly felons were con- 
demned to act here as postillions ; at present things are not so bad, and 
only want proper management. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 349 

" The above interesting extract was penned by Dr. Jeremiah Van Rensse- 
laer, a gentleman of the old school, distinguished for his large hearted 
charity and courteous bearing towards all, the fragrance of his gentle 
Christian character will long remain to justify the appropriate inscription 
upon his tomb — ' the memory of the just is blessed.' He was the sou 
of John J. Van Rensselaer, who died in 1828, and occupied the quaint 
' Old Van Rensselaer Mansion' on the east bank of the Hudson river, 
just below the village of Greenbush, opposite the city of Albany. It is 
a fine old mansion, delightful in location, with the broad, silvery Hudson 
washing its bank, and the sad and joyous associations of more than two 
centuries clustering around it. A dense hedge of lilacs, rich in the pro- 
fusion of spring flowers, borders and overtops the picket-fence which fronts 
the house and runs nearly parallel with the road and river. Within the 
hedge, a lawn kept with cultivated taste, attracts the attention of the pass- 
ing traveler, as he looks through the openings with a longing desire to 
enjoy the cool and quiet seclusion of its retreat. The building was erected 
as early as 1603, and no doubt was used in those early times as a fort, 
some of the stone port-holes still remain visible in the walls. 

" Around the fireplace, in the upper chambers, are a number of tiles, 
of a dull purple color, containing Scripture illustrations. One represents 
the flight of Joseph into Egypt. Another is that of Dives and Lazarus; 
another of the tiles represents the baptism of Christ in the river Jordan. 
There are altogether between forty and fifty of these tiles all of which haVe 
Scripture subjects upon them. Here, too, was seen the heavy wooden 
chest, in which the linen of our ancestors was sent to Holland to be 
washed, showing how exclusive was their entire dependence on the mother 
country during their early residence iu this western wilderness. After 
this old mansion had been built more than a hundred and twenty-five years, 
a few very enterprising New Englanders passed by and made a settlement 
of the village of Troy. We may imagine the mingled surprise and indig- 
nation of the good old burghers of staid Albany, when they found that 
' Big Jacob,' grandson of the venerated Derick Van Derheyden, had fallen 
into the hands of the Philistines and sold a portion of the farm of 490 
acres, leased from the Patroon, at an annual rent of three bushels and 
three pecks of wheat and four fat fowls." 

Gov. Clinton to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany, 17 March, 1820. 

I intend to lay before the Legislature at their request evidence of the 
interference of the General Govt, in our Elections. With this view I am 
anxious to have authenticated accounts of the Post Master General's 
[Return J. Meigs] conduct on Van Buren's [Martin Van Buren, a mem- 
ber of the New York Senate] Letter, and for this purpose, I have written 
to Messrs. Monell and Lyman. Cannot V. B's letter be procured by a 
call of the House 't Will you see to this and also procure such other 
testimony on this Subject as may be in your power ? We stand well here. 
Thousands and thousands of ofiice seekers under the new Council. 

Yours truly, 

De Witt Clinton. 
Hon. Sol. Van Rensselaer, In Congress, Washington. 



350 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, W. Vliet, March 17, 1820. 

Your letter and the documents I received and handed them to the 
Governor. Both parties are very sanguine. I think however the Buck- 
tails are rather below par — if the Western District give Clinton their votes 
his party calculate on, then he succeeds. The Federals in the State 
except N. York will give him their support, some however reluctantly. 
We are determined to rally under our old banner and support McKown 
against Duer (for Assembly) who has joined the Bucktails and Gibbons. 
You have seen E. Clark's letter to Morris Miller. I think he will feel 
small Avhen he meets his old friends. What do you think of our address 
to the Agricultural Societies ? I sent one to Randolph, has he received 
it? We have excellent sleighing yet. I hope to see you the beginning 
of next month. Mrs. R. on Tuesday presented me with a tine boy, she 
is as well as usual on those occasions. Your friend, 

S. Van Rensselaer. 

Major General Yau Rensselaer, Washington. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My dear Wife, Washington, March 20, 1820. 

1 wrote you we had made up a party to go to Alexandria and Mount 
Ve^'uon, we returned on Saturday evening, in a fine moonlight, at 10 
o'clock, from the Seat of the Father of his Country. My time will not 
allow me to give you a description of the place or of my feelings; these 
must be reserved for a happy fireside chat, in the midst of all I love dearly, 
sometime about the first of May. Ask the young farmer whether it will 
not be best to sow the hack lot loith peas., and the low land with barley 
and oats. If he has not been able to get manure on the back lot, this crop 
will be the most profitable there. If the peas are rolled in plaster and 
plaster sowed over them, the ground will produce a good crop, and will be 
handy to turn in the hogs. The ground should be handsomely turned 
over and lightly harrowed before sowing, or, if it is well plowed, perhaps 
first harrowing will be unnecessary. He should sow twenty bushels upon 
this lot, or at least two busliels to the acre, and get them in as early as 
possible. Three ploughs will soon turn it over. * * * 

Dear Harriot, Washington, March 22, 1820. 

I have only time, after writing to several, to say that an affair of honor 
took place this mornijig between Commodores Decatur and Barron, in 
which both fell at the first fire. The ball entered Decatur's body two 
inches above the hip, and lodged against the opposite side. I just came 
from his house. He yet lives, but will never see another sun. Barron's 
wound is severe, but not dangerous. The ball struck the upper part of 
his hip, and turned to the rear. He is ruined in public estimation. The 
excitement is very great. Kiss all my Coveys for me. In haste. 

Truly yours, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

Washington., March 22, 1820. A duel was fought this morning between 
Commodore Stephen Decatur — one of the first oflacers of our navy — the 
pride of his country and Commodore James Barron. Commodore Decatur 



Legacy of IIisTORiCyVL Gleanings. 351 

was supported by Com. Piodgers in ■whose arms he was sustaincil from the 
battle ground to his residence. Evening : Com. Decatur still lives. His 
surgeon, however, says that he cannot live until morning. I walked to 
his dwelling this afternoon to enquire about him. Every person in the 
city appears dejected at this unibrtuiiatc and melauchuly affair. Grief 
and sorrow are depicted in the countenances of all, for the late of poor 
Decatur. Barron is severely wounded and had the ball struck one inch 
above his hip bone instead of on it, he would have been now in the same 
situation with Decatur. The quarrel has been of about five months stand- 
ing and grew out of the old Chesapeake affair. Barron it appears 
applied to command the Columbus. Decatur opposed his application, 
which gave offence to Barron — Com. Bainbridge was the friend to 
Decatur, Captain Elliott the friend to Barron. Tliey fought at the dis- 
tance of eight paces on the celebrated battle ground near l>ladensburg. 

" The fatal wound was given on Wednesday morning and the noble Naval 
Hero expired in agony at 11 o'clock the same night. The sad news of 
the duel created unusual feeling and sensation in the House ; so generally 
was Com. Decatur beloved by the members and so anxious were they to 
hear the particulars, that it was difficult for the speaker to keep them in 
order. The funeral was attended on the afternoon of Friday 24th with 
every demonstration of respect and due Military honors. The volleys of 
musketry which announced the consignment of the hero's remains to the 
tomb, sounded as the knell of departed chivalry. Mrs. Decatur was in an 
agony of despair, distressed beyond expression, they have no children." 

Mrs. D. died at Georgetown, D, C, in 1860. 

Judge Mo Kown to tSol. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Albany 22nd March 1820. 

You have no doubt seen the report of our Committee of Ways and Means 
on the subject of the Vice President's affair. Last night his Excellency, 
the ci-devant and would be Governor, transmitted to the House, a corres- 
pondence which he had entered into with the Committee pending the En- 
quiry. The whole of the Correspondence goes decidedly to show that he 
had determined, and such was his object, not to do or say any thing de- 
cidedly on any special part of the subject, but to throw a riiist over it, that 
might leave him some kind of pretences of complaint of unfair treatment 
before the Committee. But the strangest thing of all was, that one of his 
minions, it appeared, had got or stolen a private letter written by the 
Chairman of Committee, to one of his Country friends, in which he had 
expressed an opinion pretty harshly against Tompkins, and a copy with the 
official correspondence of the Committee was sent to the House by T — in 
apparent great triumph. But he did not stop here. In one of his letters 
to the Committee, which he had the audacity to send to the house, he said 
substantially, that it was not to be wondered at that the ('ommittee made 
an unfavorable report, as some of them had prejudged his case, and that 
the source which appointed them was personally and politically hostile to 
him ! ! Directly insulting the House by saying, in very plain terms, they 
were a set of perjured rascals who had determined to act corruptly and 
judge partially. How his advisers, who certainly arc, shrewd men, ever 
permitted Tompkins to overshoot his mark in this way I cannot conceive. 
I must believe he did this without advice of his friends. Every one was 
astonished, and you may suppose the majority of the House was at once 
in a flame. Of consequence they refused to have his communication printed 



352 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

or have any tliinp; to do witli it ; and ordered the Clerk to deliver his papers 
to him a^ain. 

Our Committee of enquiry enter on Van Ness' conduct, after an inter- 
val of about two weeks, to re-commence the examination of witnesses this 
day. I believe about a dozen new witnesses have arrived from New 
York. I hope we may be able to finish the examination this week. 

The Hon. Sol. Van Rensselaer, ^ ^^^ ^^^^ Sir Yours truly, 
House of Representatives, Washington. James McKown. 

[Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins was vice president of the United States 
under President Monroe ; he had many opponents in his political career. 
Still he had many valuable points, and as a firm, efiicient, and zealous 
friend to his country, in times of great difficulty and need, he was not 
excelled. He died in the year 1825. Judge William W. Van Ness was 
strangely misunderstood; but now that the feverish state of things has 
passed away, and selfishness no longer warps the minds of men regarding 
those events in a most remarkable period of time, full justice is awarded 
to as noble a man as ever lived. He ever was distinguished for his high 
intellectual endowments and his courteous bearing in all the relations of 
life, and the voice of history mourns over the strange infatuation that then 
prevailed.] 

Gov. Clinton to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany, 27th March, 1820. 

I have received a copy of Van Buren's famous letter on the " Rascally 
P. Masters." It is equally oifensive to grammar and truth. It is per- 
fectly satisfactory and will produce a great effect. When were the P. 
Masters mentioned in his letter removed ? They are — Holt of Her- 
kimer — Howell of Bath — Smith of Little Falls — Chamberlin ofOxford. 
TV^hy is Holt retained if so ? I had a hint about the maneuvre to remove 
P. Master in Jefferson and have written to your Colleague, William D, 
Ford on the subject. As letters on file are public documents, why not 
boldly request a copy — let it by all means be attended to. An idea of 
importance has struck me. Suppose that you and a Colleague desired a 
private interview with the President [James Monroe,] stated the conduct 
of the P. M. General in removing Post Masters on the eve of the elec- 
tion — that it was reported that this measure had met his approbation. 
That you wished to give a liberal support to his administration and to 
guard him against mispresentation, that you respectfully desired to 
know whether he had or had not sanctioned and whether lie did or did 
not approve of the measure. In either case it was due to his candor and 
magnanimity to remove all doubt on this at once. If I were with you I 
would do this at once. If he denies, it will be well, if he admits, then 
the charge can be brought directly home to him. If he is silent so much 
the better. In all respects the step is proper, decorous and respectful; 
will do you honor and is worthy of a Representative of the people. 

Col. Livingston, of Saratoga has a claim which has been transmitted to 
the Speaker. Will you tell him to notice it and to write to his consti- 
tuents frequently. He stands well there and our friends are making 
favorable demonstrations in that quarter. Cramer is full of bitter de- 
nunciations against the speaker. Our accounts from the Counties are 
very favorable. I am yours truly, 

DeWitt Clinton. 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer — In Congress, Washington. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 353 

" April 6, 1820. Report of the (Joinuiittee in the Case of Judge Vaa 
Ness. After a long, faithful, and impartial inve.stigation, the committee 
appointed for the purpose of examining the olTnnal conduct of the Hon. 
William W. Van Ness, made their satisfactory Report to the State Jjegis- 
lature, and we feel a sincere gratification in saying, that the elevated 
character of our judiciary stands unimpaired, and the reputation and in- 
tegrity of one of its most useful ornaments, untouched and unsullied. 
The report although brief, is full, satisfactory and conclusive. He has 
passed through the ordeal unharmed — and that too, at a period of party 
excitement almost without a parallel. Every engine that party rage, 
wealth, and influence could command, has been set in motion to impeach 
his conduct — with certain charges preferred against him by the editors 
of the American — but, after the strictest scrutiny Nothing could be 
proved against him. On the contrary his Innocence has been completely 
established, and the purity of the bench declared by the unanimous voice 
of the people through their representatives. We congratulate the public 
upon the honorable exculpation of this distinguished citizen, and brilliant 
ornament of the bench." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 
My Dear Harriot, Washington, April 20, 1820, 

Instead of the first of May, I fear in consequence of the arrival of the 
Spanish Minister, Congress will not adjourn until the eighth. The Patrooa 
is with us, and is much improved in health, is also in very good spirits. 
He is highly pleased and gratified with the standing and conduct of his 
Aid, and very affectionate to him ; my neat quarters he is pleased with &c. 
Mr. Gracey of New York — Rodgers of the same place, together with 
Greigg from Ontario and the Patroon dined with me yesterday ; we had 
a neat, substantial dinner and pleasant jovial little party. Last night I 
introduced them into the Queen's drawing-room, she was a Miss Kortright, 
distinguished alike for her beauty and accomplishments, and to night we 
take tea with Mrs. Senator Brown, an old acquaintance from Kentucky. 
The Patroon leaves this on Saturday, would to heavens, I could accompany 
him, but fear we shall not adjourn until the eighth of May, if we do then. 
I regret our dear little patient Hat suffers so much, I was in hopes she 
was better. Tell her and the little one, I will bring them each a doll, aa 
orange and sugar-plums — kiss them for me. 

Washington, May 4th. You will see my dear Wife, by these papers, 
that both Houses of Congress have agreed to adjourn on the 15th Instant. 
Although the day is more distant than I could wish, yet I am delighted 
to know the time when I shall press to my heart those I love so dearly. 

Affectionately Yours, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

Just before the hour of meeting on Friday evening May 12th, an inci- 
dent took place in the chamber of representatives, worthy of note, from 
not having been fatal in its consequences. The chain by which was 
suspended the massive brass chandelier, hanging in the center of the hall, 
gave way, as one of the attendants on the house was lighting the lamps, and 
fell with a force proportioned to its great weight. The servant was thrown 
some distance from the ladder, and escaped unhurt ; and, although the mem- 
45 



354 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

bers were gathering fast in the hall, and the fragments of the chandelier 
covered a considerable space, it happened the seats immediately within its 
reach were not yet occupied, and no member was seriously hurt. A more 
providential escape can scarcely be imagined, the weight of the chandelier 
being several hundred pounds. The chandelier was imported from Eng- 
land, and cost 1,300 dollars. 

The first session of the sixteenth congress, was terminated, about four 
o'clock in the afternoon of May 15th, by the adjournment of the two houses 
until the second Monday of November next, being the 18th day of the 
month. The session closed in perfect harmony. No session of congress 
has been marked by more deliberation and coolness in its closing scene. 

Monday, Nov. lo, 1820, the second session of the sixteenth congress 
began. Wednesday Nov. 15. The house then again proceeded by ballot 
to the election of a Speaker, and upon an examination of the twenty-second 
ballot it appeared that John W. Taylor, one of the representatives from 
the state of New York, was duly elected Speaker. 

In Senate on November 15, 1820. Resolved, that his excellency, the 
governor be requested to lay before the senate all the information that he 
may possess in relation to that part of his speech which alludes to the 
general government, or its officers, " as an organized and disciplined corps 
in our elections." 

Ordered, That the clerk deliver a copy of said resolution to his excel- 
lency the governor. By order, 

John F. Bacon, Clerk. 
To the Senate, 

Gentlemen : Fully appreciating the patriotic solicitude of the senate to 
prevent all unwarrantable intrusions in the political affairs of the state, I 
have received their application for information on this subject with plea- 
sure, and I shall, in due time make them a communication, which, I trust, 
will be satisfactory in its nature and salutary in its tendency, 

Albany, Nov. 16, 1820. DeVVitt Clinton. 

Gov. Clinton to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany 18 Nov., 1820. 

Can you procure for me a statement of the whole number of Post Offices 
in this State, and the aggregate of compensation ? 

We have received the President's Message, but no account, as yet, of 
the Election of Speaker in Mr. Clay's place. It is to be hoped that Tay- 
lor [John W. Taylor] has succeeded. Our Legislature are yet in Session. 
Everything is working right. Yours Sincerely, 

DeWitt Clinton. 

Honorable Sol. Van Rensselaer, In Congress, Washington. 

Charles G. Haines to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, New York Nov. 20, 1820. 

The recent triumph of Northern politics has imparted joy and congrat- 
ulations, among all our friends in this City. To you great Credit is given. 
We feel confident that you boldly and perseveringly led the way to victory, 
and animated the courage of the timid and desponding. Next comes the 
Missouri Constitution. For God's sake stand firm, and reject this odious 
and abominable instrument. If it is received by Congress in its present 
shape, I would not give a single farthing for the American Confederacy. 
It will be trampled under foot, openly violated, and virtually destroyed. 
There is a great sensibility here on this subject. A. few of us, including 



LliGACY OF IlrSTORIGAL GLEANINGS. 355 

all parties combininji; men of candor and reason, met on Saturday Evening 
last to consult on the propriety of calling a general meeting ; but upon 
the whole, after full debate, it was concluded not to do it. But we stand 
strong, firm and resolute. If Civil War and division of the Union come, 
so be it ! Rather have these, than the extended horrors of Slavery. How 
do the Southern People feel ? If we do our duty, nothing can resist the 
tide of Northern feeling and Northern independence that has set in. The 
Bucktails stand mute and thunderstruck. My opinion is, tliat Governor 
Clinton's Adminstration stands stronger than it did one year ago, by many 
thousands. Our triumph next Spring is certain if we do any thing worthy 
of our cause. In all your operations at Washington, I hope nothing will 
be said of making Mr. Clinton our President. My feelings toward him 
you know and God knows; but we must embrace the whole ground, and 
this cannot be done, if we build upon the name and merits of any particu- 
lar individual. This is Gov. Clinton's own opinion, as well as my own. 
Do let me hear from you and send me any Documents that may be interest- 
ing. When will Crawford make his Report? 

With great respect and esteem. 
Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Ch. G. Haines. 

Member U. S. Congress, Washington, 

The Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany Nov. 20, 1820. 

I regret that I was disappointed in not seeing you in N. York. I called 
several times at your Hotel and you was out. 

Mr. Taylor's election shews that the North have Strcmjtlh, if united. 
We had a tumultuous Session, parties very violent. I pray that when they 
assemble again, they will be more moderate. Make my respects to Mr. 
Calhoun and remind him of the Son of the old Soldier who wishes a place 
at West Point ; he is now at our Academy and improves in Mathematics 
daily; his name is S. V. R. Ryan. Rev. Dr. Bradford's defence was opened 
yesterday by Mr. Henry in very strong language. I thought it had an 
effect. Make ray respects to Mr. Beecher, Brush and rest of your old mess. 
I hope to see you in January for a few days. Your friend. 

S. V. Rensselaeu. 

Major Genl. Sol. Van Rensselaer, M. Congress, Washington. 

Oov. Clinton to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany 22 Nov., 1820. 

The Session has passed over to the mortification of the Jacobins. The 
Convention bill was modeled for the express purpose of sustaining them 
in power — Election in February — Session in June. You ought to write 
to all your friends urging them to active exertions. The victory is certainly 
ours if we act nobly. The election of Speaker is very gratifying. I see in 
Force's National Calendar that compensation is still allowed to the Col- 
lectors of Internal Revenue. Is this true ? Write to me on the subject. 
Can you furnish me with any evidence about the interference of Jacobins 
in state concerns ? Yours Truly — C — 

Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer, In Congress, Washington. 

" The legislature of 1820 was one of the most remarkable in many re- 
spects ever convened in this State. De Witt Clinton, as governor, had 
such a large majority of the members who were personal friends of his and 



356 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

pledged to support bis canal policy, that it was familiarly called the 
' Clintonian House.' 

" Additional interest is also attached to this legislature from the fact of 
the impeachment, trial and triumphant acquital of the Judge W. W. Van 
Ness, of Claverack, Columbia county, in the conduct of which the names 
of Erastus Root, Thomas J. Oakley and Elisha Williams figure conspicu- 
ously, and which called out the famous mathematical speech of Mr. lioot, 
as well as some of the most brilliant speeches ever heard in the old Assem- 
bly Chamber." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Ids Wife. 
My dear Wife. Washington Nov. 24, 1820. 

The Mail has removed from my heart a load, which I have sustained 
with diiBculty, and the next I hope will entirely remove. Our dear 
Adeline's letter is before me, if your sore finger only prevents your not writ- 
ing, and not sickness, I am satisfied, but let me beg of you to remove anx- 
iety as soon as possible. 

Every thing is going on well here, we have received one great victory 
in the choice of Speaker, which like the Allies over Bonaparte, has given 
our ranks confidence; and I hope and believe we will put down the 
Missouri Constitution. Our opposers treat us with great civility, for they 
have been made to understand that they are men no better than ourselves, 
and that their blustering and swaggering will be promptly met. I have 
received several congratulatory letters from the City of New York in which 
they do me more credit than I deserve, for doing my duty. I wish our 
friends to act mildly, but they shall not yield one inch of ground if I can 
prevent them, and rest assured they as well as our opposers have the full- 
est confidence in my firmness. Carter sends the Statesmen regularly to 
me and I send you the paper of this place. Kiss our good and aifectionate 
children for me; let one or the other write by every mail, if only three 
lines they will be more acceptable than I get from others. 

Unalterably Yours, 

Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

The slavery question, as connected with the Missouri Constitution, at 
this time, distracted the whole country. " Good citizens were appalled, 
and painful feelings were inspired that the traffic in public offices became 
the most formidable auxiliary of the supremacy of the slave oligarchy, 
many were controlled by it, almost despotically. The politicians of the 
tory and slavery school would never have had such a long lease of power, 
if they had not been able to hold out the bait of office to their most unscru- 
pulous camp followers, from their acquired influences." The speaker, 
Henry Clay, wrote to John J. Crittenden as follows. " The Missouri sub- 
ject monopolizes all our conversation, all our thoughts aud, for three weeks 
at least, to come, will occupy all our time. Nobody seems to think of or 
care about anything else. The issue of the question in the House of "Repre- 
sentatives is doubtful. I am inclined to think that it will be finally 
compromised. 

James W. Barbour in a letter to the same personsays : " you have been 
relieved from one of the most irksome tasks I have ever experienced, the 
discussion of the Missouri question. Who could have thought, last session, 
that the little speck we then saw was to be swelled into the importance it has 
now assumed, and that upon its decision depended the duration of the 
Union ? The dissolution is one of the alternatives spoken of, rather than 



Legacy of IIlstuuical Glloaninus. 357 

submit to the spirit of aggression vvliicli marks the course of our antago- 
nists. A proposition has now been made for a compromise, the amend- 
ment proposed by Thomas, which, I believe, unpleasant as it is, will be 
acceded to, as a lesser evil than either dividing the Union, or throwing it 
into confusion. The (/reat movers of this question arc against all compro- 
mise." 

N. n. Carter to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Albany, 24th Nov. 1820. 

]?y your politeness and that of your friend Dr. Bay. who called at my 
room on Wednesday Evening, I had the pleasure of reading your last 
letter ; and now take the liberty to express to you the satisfaction I de- 
rived from a perusal of its contents. Permit me to reciprocate your 
congratulations on the election of the Speaker — Mr. Taylor. It is indeed 
a glorious triumph, in whatever point of view we consider it, whether as 
citizens of this State — of the Northern States — or as friends of our own 
Executive. The intelligence created a burst of joy among us all, and 
utter dismay among our opponents. The Post-Office was thronged for an 
hour before the mail was opened, and every one stood on tip toe, while 
waiting for the news of Taylor's fate. There was a great collection at 
Cook's Reading Room ; and when it was announced that Taylor had suc- 
ceeded, some of '• the high minded gentlemen" gave vent to their feelings 
of disappointment and chagrin. William A. Duer, John A. King, and 
Gulian Verpbink publicly denounced Mr. Taylor as a man of no talents, 
no qualifications for the office, and a miserable tool of De Witt Clinton ! 
But as our friend Van Bureu says, this will have a good effect, and indeed 
its effects are already visible. 

It gave me sincere pleasure to learn that you had called on the Post 
Master General, and demanded a sight of the letter of Van Buren about 
the " Rascally Post Masters." I want to see this subject probed to the 
bottom, that we may know preciselyonwho.se shoulders the responsibility 
rests. You will greatly oblige me by communicating any information 
you may be able to obtain in relation to this transaction. You will see by 
the Statesman of to day, that the proceedings of the legislature have pro- 
duced a very great degree of political excitement in this State. Albany 
is in a complete ferment. Men who have been neutral heretofore, now 
speak out. I am told that Mr. A. Van Vechten has to day expressed 
himself very decidedly against the outrageous proceedings of the Senate 
and Assembly. Public sentiment, so far as I can learn, is in favor of the 
Governor and the Council of Revision. Depend on it, the intemperate 
proceedings at the close of the Session will recoil on the IJucktail party, 
and produce a strong reaction in our favour. Governor Clinton is firm 
and unshaken as Atlas, and our friends will manfully breast themselves 
to the shock. We will " in due time" defeat our opponents, and gain a 
glorious triumph. 

I had the pleasure of passing last evening in company with your daugh- 
ters at Judge Spencer's and lest they should not write you, I have the 
satisfaction to add, that your family and friends are in good health. If 
you find a leisure moment to spare, I need not tell you, that a line from 
you would be very gratefully received. I have the honor to be very 
respectfully and sincerely, Your friend and obedt. servt. 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, N. H. Carter. 

House of Representatives, Washington City. 



358 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Charles G. Haines to Ocn. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Sir, New York Nov. 28, 1820. 

I return you many thanks for your kind letter. I reciprocate the noble 
sentiments which it breathes, with pride and with pleasure. Lowndes Re- 
port has reached us. It excites astonishment, and kindles indignation. I 
never saw a more pitiful, stupid Document. It calls down execrations on 
the head of the honorable Chairman. [Hon. William Lowndes of South 
Carolina one of the Committee in charge of the Missouri constitution.] 
We stand better in this State, in my opinion, than we did a month ago. 
The Bucktails are aiding our cause by their violence and Jacobinism. The 
Council of Revision are right, Woodworth shamefully deserted us. I think 
that Adams is gaining ground, and Crawford losing his hold. The South- 
ern people will kill him. Stand lirm and God bless you ! 

Sincerely yours Ch. G. Haines. 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, M. C, Washington. 

Qovcrnor Clinton to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Albany 29 November, 1820. 

In Buel's paper, of last Spring, there is a letter from the Post Master- 
General to Mr. Martin A^an Buren in answer to a complaint about " Ras- 
cally Post Masters," which letter of complaint docs not appear. Now it 
is important to have i\\Q whole correspondence, which can be done only by 
the consent of the P. M. G. or by a call of Congress. The preceding let- 
ters of Van Buren will fix a connexion and give a character to the whole 
transaction. Charles wrote to you about the allegation in the Argus re- 
specting the Speaker. This ought to be met. It will injure Mm essen- 
tially and not the Governor. Great efforts are making to frustrate him. 
Cramer swears vengeance &c. Every thing is proceeding nobly in our 
quarter. Yours Sincerely 

De Witt Clinton. 
Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer, In Congress, Washington. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 
My dear Harriot, Washington, Dec. 1, 1820. 

I feel much fatigued but cannot let the mail close without informing 
you that I reached this place this evening in perfect health and without 
injury, although our sta^e turned over twice between New York and Phil- 
adelphia without detriment to any one. And to day, when within a few 
miles of this city, the tuiig broke and we were nearly going over a bridge 
of about 12 or 14 feet high ; the stage was full, and for a time we were 
doubtful of our personal safety, but all escaped destruction, and nothing 
was injured but one of the horses. It has been a tedious ride, jolting over 
very bad roads, though we had the satisfaction of scanning the fine scenery 
and enjoying the jollity of pleasant companions. I again occupy my old 
room where every thing is snug and comfortable for me. 

Your affectionate Husband, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

F. Pell to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, New York, Deer. 1, 1820. 

You have doubtless long ere this received the warm expression of thanks 
from our friends in this City for your intrepid and independent conduct 
in respect to the Letter, It gave us all a spur here, and since that time 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 359 

we have been very alert in collecting information. I believe the Governor 
will give them a stomacher. Never were our friends in bett(ir heart than 
at this moment. We hear of no deiections. The office holders know they 
will be turned out if they persevere, and not a man flinches from his post. 
I'he Tammanies are to have a great meeting to night at 'J'ammany Hall, 
to denounce, and urge a Convention. 

Our friends met last night in confidence, appointed a committee to pre- 
pare resolutions and an address for a general meeting to be called, ap- 
proving the conduct of the council of Revision, and I have no doubt we 
shall have an overwhelming meeting in the course of ten or twelve days. 
Be assured the Southern distrust will show a diflfereut tone next spring. 
All our friends hope the question on the Missouri Bill w'lW be hard pressed. 
It is idle now to talk of conciliation — nothing but sheer strength must 
carry the day — and we are only waiting a fair signal to second the attack. 
That signal must come from Washington. I am collecting information 
here about the Navy Yard at Brooklyn — and am under the impression 
that a large sum of money is expended and ti considerable body of men 
in the Service of the U S. employed there steadily. Of the men I can 
learn here, but not of the amount of money. What I want is, the annual 
expense, and the purposes to which it is applied. Can you aifbrd me any 
aid, through the Naval Committee or otherwise? If I could also get the 
amount expended in this harbour for the snpport of the troops, and of 
the officers through whose hands it passes, it may be turned here to good 
account. We are determined to sift this matter of government interfer- 
ence to the bottom, and we shall show, why the City of New York is so 
hostile to Governor Clinton. We shall follow it up all winter, and if pos- 
sible trace the channel through which every dollar passes. I shall be 
obliged by any communication from you; and any hints you may suggest 
of the course to be pursued here, will be attended to. 

I am Dear Sir, Very respty. Yours, 

Hon. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Washington. Fkrris Pell. 

Gov. Clinton to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Albany 30 December, 1820. 

After the compliments of the New Year, I am desirous of acknowledging 
the receipt of Several interesting communications from you, Munell has 
also come safely to hand. The proof I think, will be satisfactory to the 
whole Nation. No well informed man denies the existence of extraneous 
influence, but it has been a very laborious work to collect testimony. 

I want to know the expense of M. S. Miller's abortive attempt to nego- 
tiate with the Seneca Indians two or three years ago. His compensation — 
that of his Secretary and other incidental expenses, as specific as possible. 
As one of the Military Committee you are peculiarly entitled to this. The 
Governor will have to make a direct attack on the P. M. General. Facts 
will warrant it and it is absolutely necessary. How far will he be autho- 
rized to implicate the Head of the Executive in the execution of Van 
Buren's Mandate? Depend on it — we are doing well — and we improve 
every day. Whatever you have to communicate, let it be done immedi- 
ately. 

The Honorable 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, In Congress, Washington. 

" There is a species of curiosity which, in great and cultivated minds, 
leads to substantial good and lasting benefit to the community because 



360 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

cases of corruption are gaining strength and sliould be investigated. It is 
never right to countenance a departure from those safe and sure princi- 
ples of moral lectitude which have stood the test of time and received the 
approbation of the good." 

Oen. Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 
My dear Harriet, Washington, Jany. 17, 1821. 

Our House sat until after sunset to day. General Smyth's substitute 
for our bill was rejected by a very large Myjority. The question was to 
strike out the first Section of the Bill to reduce the Army — which was in 
effect to destroy it, this wily maneuver, however, was negatived by an 
overwhelming Majority. The Bill is entitled " An act to reduce and fix 
the military peace establishment of the United States." It is to cut down 
the Army to one Brig. Genl. and six thousand men, and of course will 
pass. Yesterday — Tuesday 16th — another member from Kentucky — 
Henry Clay — appeared and took his seat, no doubt to labor for the ad- 
mission of Missouri into the Union with her constitution to legalize slavery 
and perpetuate that cursed institution. Jacob H. De Witt is still very 
weak, but out of danger. * * * 

[" Mr. Clay, with all his power, urged the admission, on the ground that 
to Missouri alone belonged the subject of her domestic slavery ; declaring 
at the same time, that, so great was his detestation of the system, were he 
a citizen of that State, he would never consent to a State Constitution 
which should not provide for its extinction.] After the adoption of the 
* Missouri Compromise' of 1820, that ' Pandora's box' which held the 
seeds of deadliest mischief and misery, the whole country fell into a deep 
slumber over the question of slavery. The fires of discussion and agitation, 
which had blazed so fiercely and furiously during the Missouri struggle, 
had died out, and been followed by a general stupor, so profound that the 
few persons who still ' remembered that Grod was just, and that his justice 
would not sleep forever ' were paralyzed by discouragement and fearful 
foreboding of evil days to come." 

Judge Van Ness to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Friend, Claverack, 24th Jany., 1821. 

It has been my intention to write to you for many weeks, but I have 
been so much engaged and in so many diflerent ways that I have not had 
time to attend to it. Your letters directed to me, while I was at New 
York, were all duly received, and I return you my best acknowledgments 
for them. I would have written from New York, but I was so incessantly 
engaged, that I had no opportunity to frame such a letter as I wished to 
address to you, and as you would expect to receive. The vote on the 
Missouri Constitution was a proud victory of principle over cupidity and 
selfishness. It has done more to restore the North to its just weight and 
influence in the National Councils than any event which has occurred for 
twenty years. Let us but be faithful to ourselves in the further progress 
of this question and we shall be redeemed from the contempt which was 
brought upon us by that miserable Sycophant who betrayed us to the 
lords of the South, to enable him to subserve his own purposes, I allude 
to that smallest of small men Daniel D. Tompkins. He has done more 
to disgrace the character of the North than all the other men who con- 
spired together to barter away our rights to the usurpers at Washington. 
In looking over the proceedings of your house, lately, I confess that I am 



LEaACY OF Historical Gleanings. 361 

not wilhnut, iny foars tliiit 3'(iu will liiul yourselves in a minority, on tlie 
final vote, respecting Missouri. I really think you have delayed tills 
subject too long. It is uiuch to be apprehended that the weight of the 
\Iabinet will prove to have. been too successfully and fatally exerted on 
this vital question — it shouhl have been disposed of long ago when you 
felt and were certain of your strength. The report of the Military Com- 
mittee commands my entire approbation, and I venture to saj', its passage 
will be supported by every enlightened Statesman in all tlie independent 
States. The Army'aod Navy with their endless train of dependents, 
have done more to place the State Authorities under vassalage, to the 
General Government, than all other causes combined. It is time the 
machinery at Washington should be simplified, that the enormous patron- 
age of the national administration should be curtailed, that abuses should 
be exposed and reibrmed, that public expenditure should be retrenched, 
and that a few men there should no longer be permitted, at the expense 
of the nation, to perpetuate their own authority and importance. The 
enormous expenses of both the Army and Navy are no longer tolerable, 
we are growing poor both as a government and as individuals, and our 
means are inadequate to the maintenance of the worse than useles.s mili- 
tary establishments which now exist. 

The opposition to the State administration here is becoming more and 
more violent and unprincipled. I think, however, they have pitched 
their key much too high, and that many reflecting men have become 
terrified at the excesses which have lately bsen committed. You have 
no conception of the extent to which the Majority in the Legislature in- 
tended to have gone, if they had succeeded in getting a party Convention. 
The firmness of the Governor and Council of Revision has saved the 
Government, and I am perfectly satisfied that their conduct is approved 
by a vast majority of the people. Let the Dominant party but go on with 
removals and appointments and there will be a larger majority with the 
Governor in the Legislature next winter, than he has had any time since 
his Election. What do you think of the message of the Governor to the 
Assembly, respecting the interference of the U. S. Ofiicers with our 
local election ? It is a noble State paper, worthy of its Author, and which 
will produce more good than any thing that has been said or written since 
1800. The Bucktails are outrageous, and in absolute dismay. They had 
no conception of such an exposure. I should like to know what impres- 
sion this message makes at Washington. If lam not mistaken. President 
Monroe will never cease to regret that he has lent himself to Martin Van 
Buren and his co-adjutors. We feel well about our own affairs. The 
Governor commands, more and more, the confidence of all the reflecting 
portion of the people. As the views of his opponents are unfolded, the 
more general becomes the conviction that the peace and welfare of the 
State is identified with his continuance in office. I was a good deal 
alarmed at a report, which was circulated in Albany, that you was sick. 
Your family was very much terrified, but their fears as well as my own 
were allayed before I left Albany. IIow does Henry R. Storrs act ? to 
what party does he profess to belong ? How very foolishly this young 
man has thrown himself away. Make my best respects to ni}' friend 
James Strong, he is a good and true man. What has become of my friend 
John D. Dickinson and family ? I have not heard from him this winter. 
One word more and my paper is full. Affectionately Yours, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer, in Congress, Washington. W. W. Van Ness. 
46 



362 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Gov. Clinton to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Albany, 31 January, 1821. 

I think that you had better forward the returns of which you speak in 
your letter, as soon as possible. Root [Erastus Root] is muzzled by the 
promise of being your successor. The whole State is alive for office, and 
next week will exhibit a scene of office hunting, heretofore unknown in 
the annals of the Community. 

I am in favor of retrenchment because T believe that the pecuniary 
pressure of the Country requires it, and because I conceive that the 
national administration have grossly abused their patronage for the pur- 
pose of individual aggrandizement. When Mr. Calhoun gave in 
his project for the reduction of the army, he knew the chances for a 
general retrenchment. I am very unwilling, however, to carry this System 
too far or to such an extent as to exalt unworthy men, or to injure the 
substantial defence of the Country. You know my opinion of Scott. And 
my high estimation of Brown and Jackson. [Maj. Gens. Jacob Brown 
and Andrew Jackson.] Calhoun is unquestionably the only great man in 
the cabinet, the only one possessed of an intuitive mind. On military 
principles you ought to retain one Major General at least. 

You may let Colonel Pell see this letter, and I will thank you to hand 
him the accompanying. Yours truly, 

The Honorable Solomon Van Rensselaer, D. W. C. 

In Congress, Washington. 

Judge Van Ness to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Friend, Claverack 7th Feb. 1821. 

I perceive that you have again had the Missoui-i question under discus- 
sion. My solicitude on this subject increases the more I reflect upon it. 
I perceive Mr. Clay has taken a part in the debate, and I presume it was 
with a view to this question that he came to W^ashington. He is an able 
man, and I understand a clever fellow, but I hope he may not be able to 
delude any of the friends of freedom in this momentous subject. I fear 
not Tiis eloquence or arguments, however, half as much as I do the over- 
whelming influence of the Cabinet. Press a final decision of this afiair, 
as soon as you can, I have no doubt the friends of the resolution will 
endeavor to protract the discussion, so as to defeat a rejection of it by the 
present Congress, in the hopes that they may have a better chance with 
the next. You must bear in mind too, that we have no right to calculate 
upon so unanimous a vote of the next delegation from this State. Several 
Bucktails will -be elected in districts now represented by firm and in- 
dependent men. I have seen with great satisfaction that your Army bill 
has passed the House of Representatives by a triumphant majority. This 
augurs well — one source of corruption will I hope now be cut up. Until 
•within a few days, I never read the bill — and I was not therefore fully 
appri.sed of all its details. It has occurred to me on examining it that it 
is hardly in the nature of things that such a thorough reform can be 
eff'ected at a single stroke. The whole influence of the Army will now be 
exerted to prevail upon the Senate to introduce such modifications into the 
bill as to produce a reconsideration of the whole project in your house. 
The Senate seeing the immense majority by which the bill was sent to 
them, will no doubt be cautious; but that some material amendments will 
be made — I can hardly doubt. The majority of the Senate are more 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 363 

purely party men than in the house of Representatives — they are better 
disciplined — and the power of the cabinet can be brought to bear upon 
them with better effect, and greater facility than upon the more numerous 
branch of the legislature. True wisdom and policy would seem therefore 
to dictate a mild and temperate, but at the same time a firm course to your 
house. 

It would be expedient to adopt such amendments proposed by the 
Senate, as do not essentially affect the principles of the bill, as you have 
passed it. I meau such amendments as your honor and your duty will 
allow you to sanction. Any alteration calculated to divide your friends 
and in the end to frustrate your whole plan should be promptly and in- 
dignantly rejected. By attempting to effect too much, I have fre<jucntly 
found that a whole measure has been jeopardised and sometimes lost. On 
reading a New York paper, a day or two ago, I observe that a fear is ex- 
pressed that in case of the discharge of the Major Generals, the Command 
of the whole Army will be committed to Gen. Scott — of whom you know 
I entertain the utmost contempt. Now suppose the Senate should pro- 
pose that one, or both the Major Generals should be retained, what would 
it be proper for your house to dor* I am speaking of a subject I confess 
which I do not profess to understand half as well as you do, and therefore 
speak with diffidence. It seems to me, however, in the event I have 
supposed, that the house ought to recede, provided you are satisfied the 
Senate is in earnest, and resolved to suffer the whole measure to fall to 
the ground unless this point shall be yielded to them. Indeed it rather 
appears to me that there is a propriety in having an Officer at the head 
of the Army of superior rank. If the Senate should insist that the Com- 
mander-in-chief should be a Major General, the question arises whether 
in preference to hazarding the whole bill this proposition should not be 
conceded. On these points however, you are better able to form just con- 
clusions than I am, and whatever you may judge to be best calculated to 
promote the public interest, and to establish a just economy, you will find 
your friends will approbate. Let me hear from you on this subject. I 
go to Albany to the Court of Errors, in a day or two, and will you direct 
your letters to that place. Martin Van Buren was yesterday, no doubt, 
elected to the Senate of the U. S., in the place of Sanford. The latter 
in the Bucktail Caucus had 24 votes and V. B. 58. Had Sanford's friends 
been true to him, he might have been chosen with the utmost ease. I 
suspect our friends have not even voted for him. They probably have 
thrown away their votes upon a man, they will find, who has a decided 
political character. The new Council meets to day and the next mail will 
probably bring you the news of your removal, as Adjutant General, and 
of Roots appointment in your place. Rely upon it the next Election will 
set every thing right again. Most affectionately Yours, 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, M. C, Washington. W. W. Van Ness. 

Gov. Clinton to Gen.. Vtin Rensselaer. 
My Dear Sir, Albany 14th Feb. 1821. 

I have received your three packages of Military Returns by this day's 
mail. 

Your removal, from Adjutant General, is generally and justly obnox- 
ious. There is no doubt of your re-nomination for Congress, and there is 
no doubt but that the proceedings of the Council have prostrated the faction. 

Charles E. Dudley is appointed Mayor of Albany. All their appoint- 



364 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

lucnts are injudicious and many of them very Scandalous. The dis- 
satisfaction among the ]5ucktails is general. We think that the Army 
ought to stand ou the Senate Bill : so say all judicious friends. John Brush 
a valuable friend wishes the appointment of Post Master in Poughkeepsie. 
He has a brother in your house from Ohio. Can you promote the object 
and confer with him on this subject 't Yours Sincerely, 

De Witt Clinton. 
Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, in Congress, Washington. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My Dear Harriot, Washington Feb. 17, 1821. 

Before the IMail closes, I must acknowledge the receipt of Mag's, Ade- 
line's and your letter of 11th Inst, l^ismiss my love, all fears about me. 
I am in perfect health and only wish ibr the happy moment when I shall 
embrace you : this life of separation is a horrid one to me. If 1 return to 
this place, I pray to God to be enabled to bring you with me. I shall 
then be perfectly happy, and make you so too; my every happiness is 
centred in you ; you first warmed my heart, which love has increased with 
time until yon have become part of myself. I now feel in high spirits 
that two weeks from this day will close the Session. * * * 

Chas. G. JIaincs to Gen. Van Hensselaer. 

Dear Genl. New York, 27 Feb., 1821. 

You will this day receive a Letter from a Committee, requesting in- 
formation as to your return to this City from Washington. A public 
Dinner has been decreed to you, and on no ground must you shrink or 
disappoint us. I had the honor of bringing forward the proposition to a 
number of highly respectable Citizens at Washington Hall, and it was re- 
ceived with unbounded enthusiasm. It has gone through the City and 
inspired the same elevated and honourable feelings. This will not be a 
party Dinner. The Committee of Arrangements are taken from various 
quarters. It will be strictly a citizens' dinner, and one of the most re- 
spectable that has ever been given in this City. Our political prospects 
are glorious. With one bold effort we can pro.strate the Jacobins. I am 
glad to see the old North behave so nobly on the Missouri question. 
Stand firm : God and the Nation are with you. Again I say, you must 
not disappoint your friends. Sincerely Yours, 

Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Washington. Chas. G. Haines. 

The Missouri Comj^roriiise allowed slavery south of 36° 30' north lati- 
tude, and in that state. "Missouri had applied for admission. The ques- 
tion arose should she be admitted as a slave state ? After a strong debate, 
it was decided that slavery should be tolerated in Missouri, but prohibited 
in all the territory of the United States north and west of Arkansas. 

" March 3, 1821. A resolution providing for the admission of the state 
of Missouri into the Union on a certain condition was approved and signed 
by the president." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to his Wife. 

My dear Harriet, Washington, March 3, 1821. 

We have this evening finished the Missouri question, and have been 
beaten by a Majority of Three. The subject was so warmly contested that 
to allay the terrible storm, that was brewing with danger to the Union, 
Mr. Clay proposed the " Missouri Compromise," which allows slavery in 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 365 

that State oven after admitted, but prohibits it nortli of '30° DO'. The 
contouiptible bargaining Yankees were frightened by tlic braggadoeio 
Soutiiern Nabobs, sonic bolted, and others voted against us. They are a 
despicable set, and instead of governing, which they had the opportunity 
to do, they gave all up. They arc not fit for negro drivers to the people 
of the South, and even they despise such vacillation and political servi- 
tude. I am respected even by the Southerners because I have ever 
opposed theui manfully. We would have defeated the whole clique, had 
the three members from our State acted as firmly as they said they would, 
never to give up the question whatever might be the conse(iuence. Those 
three firm men : Caleb Tompkins (a brother of the Vice-President) 
Walter Case and Ilarmanus Peck of Schenectady bolted upon the last 
question. We sat without dinner every day this week until nine o'clock 
at night. Our caucus, in which a strenuous effort was vigorously put 
Ibrth against Slavery in any shape whatsoever, might have won honorable 
fame to itself, and greatly benefited the country if they had only acted 
with firmness and courtesy. But with an impetuous and inconsiderate 
rashness our Government is being placed in an attitude of peril, and from 
this critical emergency we have tried to save her by wholesome measures 
which have been frustrated. Mr. Clay as a sagacious counsellor and 
statesman has exerted his influence to bring around the practical measure 
upon which this amicable agreement between the North and South has 
now been adjusted, and the honor, if there is any in this afi'air, belongs 
to him for a successful issue to his well meant efforts. The House does 
not meet tomorrow, therefore I shall take a ride on horseback for ten or 
twelve miles out in the country. I have been so much confined that I 
much need the diversion, but I am in perfect health of body, only just 
heartily home-sick and never wished so much to see you ; but it is impossi- 
ble to say when that wished for moment will arrive. Write me how 
Tompkins and politics come on ; about my friend Judge Van Ness &c., 
with all the items of home news. I received Adeline's letter yesterday, 
and one to day from a Gentleman saying he had attended our girls' splendid 
party, and that all the guests were pleased. This gentleman is Peter 
Gansevoort ; I wish much I could have made one of the happy number. 
Good night my Love, kiss our little ones for me and big ones too. Believe 
me unalterably your affectionate Husband. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

"The admission of Missouri as a state into the Union, was made, by 
its connection with the subject of slavery, one of the most violently con- 
tested questions that ever agitated the councils of the nation. A bill had 
been introduced into congress, providing for the admission of Missouri, on 
the condition, that all children of slaves, born after the passage of the act, 
should be free, after reaching the age of twenty-five years, and tliat the 
further introduction of slavery should be prohibited. The excitement in 
congress infected the people when this bill was defeated and the north was 
arrayed against the south." 



366 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

Appointment of Albany Post Master. 

Tribute of Respect. 

The followiu2; letters were copied in the New Yorh Columbian prefaced 
by these remarks : 

" We have obtained from the gentlemen whose names are subscribed to 
the following correspondence, copies thereof for publication. The senti- 
ments contained in the letter to Gen. Van Rensselaer, as well as hi.s 
answer, do honor to the parties, and cannot fail to sink deep into the 
minds of all good men. It is probable that this correspondence would 
never have met the eyes of the public, had it not been for the calumnies 
on the character of Gen. Van Rensselaer, which have recently appeared 
in the factious papers of this city." 

To Gen. Solomon Van Bensselaer. 

Sir, New York, March 5, 1821. 

As friends to personal merit — as friends to elevated and manly prin- 
ciples — and as friends to the honor and credit of the state of New York, 
a large and respectable number of your fellow citizens, in this city, are 
anxious to greet your return from the seat of government by some public 
testimony of esteem and respect compatible with the tone of popular feel- 
ing, inspired by your removal from the office of adjutant general; and 
the just appreciation of your important services to the state and to the 
nation. They have wjreed to give you a public dinner, and only wait 
your acceptance of this proffered tribute of regard, to make the necessary 
arrangements. In times when worth, valor and talent are proscribed in 
the civil commotions of a state, there is a gratification in seeing a free and 
intelligent people indicate their regard and attachment for the victims of 
party exclusion — for men who deserve the gratitude of the present age, 
and the gratitude of posterity for men, whose deeds of bravery will ever 
form an illustrious example on the page of history, and whose political 
course has been distiimuislied by integrity, honor, firmness and decision. 

Your early military services, your brilliant exploits, during the late 
war, your scars and your wounds, nobly received in the defence of your 
country, as well as your recent services on the floor of Congress deserve 
far more than any homage which we can render you. Please to inform 
us on what day we shall have the pleasure of waiting on you. 

ROBT. Bf.GARDUS, BeNJ. G. MiNTURN. 

Benj. Ferris, Chas. G. Haines, 

Isaac M. Ely, Jonas Mapes, 

J. Le Roy, Committee. 

Gentlemen, City Hotel New York, March 6, 1821. 

Your flattering demonstration of public regard has been received with 
the most grateful sensibility. However little I may deserve, for any servi- 
ces rendered, so distinguished a mark of approbation, or be entitled to 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 367 

your animated eulogiuuis, it is solacing to reflect, that my motives have 
been justly appreciated. 

In the various public stations, to which I have been called by the in- 
dulgent confidence of my fellow citizens, it has ever been my ambition to 
promote the prosperity, and maintain the honor of the State. And their 
approbation constitutes the most welcome reward for past, and the noblest 
incentive to future exertions. 

I regret that my health is so impaired by recent fatigue, as to compel 
me to decline your flattering invitation. Be pleased to accept on behalf 
of yourselves and your fellow citizens, the assurance of my most grateful 
respect. Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

To Robert Bogardus, Benj. C. Minturn. Benjamin Ferris, Charles G. 
Haines, Isaac M. Ely, Jonas Mapes, J. LeRoy, Committee. 

^^ jMarch 14, 1821. General Solomon Van Rensselaer was yesterday 
unanimously nominated for a re-election to Congress by the Albany County 
Federal Republican Convention for Representative to Congress." On 
February 12ih, while General Van Rensselaer was attending to his con- 
gressional duties at Washington, he was removed by the new Comicil of 
Appointment from the office of adjutant general — a situation he had 
been allowed to retain during the adminstration of Governors Jay, 
George Clinton, Lewis, Tompkins and De Witt Clinton's till this year, 
having fulfilled the duties of the responsible station to the entire satisfac- 
tion of the country. Upon being superseded by William L. Marcy, Esq., 
the above re-nomination was immediately made. At the time of election — • 
by an overwhelming majority over the democratic candidate, Hon. Har- 
nianus Bleecker, it was certified that : " Solomon Van Rensselaer, by the 
greatest number of votes in the Ninth District was elected Representative 
for this state in the Hou.se of Representatives of the Seventeenth Congress 
of the United States." This official return was hailed with great joy by 
numerous friends. 

Judge Van Ness to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, New York May 16, 1821. 

I saw the Chancellor [James Kent] yesterday and had a long talk with 
him on the subject of the Convention. I am authorized in saying that if 
you think proper to nominate him as one of your candidates, he will not 
decline. We all here think he ought to be in the convention and I hope 
you will send him if you can. I also think it of the highest importance 
that the Chief Justice [Ambrose Spencer] should be in the convention. 

I have this day written to the Patroon in relation to the Chancellor. 
It would be well enough fur you to mention this to a few confidential 
friends. You may say_yf>»are authorized to declare that if the Chancellor 
is nominated he will not decline — my name need not be mentioned. I 
wrote to Dr. Bay on these subjects. 1 shall be at home on Sunday. God 
bless you. W. W, Van Ness. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany. 

"This convention of the people of the State of New York, assembled at 
Albany, on the twenty-eighth day of August, 1821, pursuant to an act of the 
legislature of the said state, entitled 'an act recommending a convention of the 
people of this state, pas.sed March 18th.' The object of this convention was 
to decide, by a majority of votes as given against the amended constitution, 
then it should be deemed rejected by the citizens of this state: But if a 



368 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

lunjority of the said votes are for the amended constitution, then the same 
shall be deemed to be ratified, and confirmed, by the citizens of the state." 

'J'he First Session of the ncvenieenth cnngres^s began December o, 1821, 
and General Van Rensselaer entered upon his second congressional term. 

Representatives of the State of New York in Congress : xvilth CON- 
GRESS. — Cadwallader D. Coldeii, Silas Wood, C. C. Cambreleng, John 
I. Morgan, Jeremiah H. Pierson, William W. Van Wyck, Walter Patter- 
son, Silas Tuthill, Charles H. Ruy-gles, Richard McCarty, Solomon Van 
Rensselaer, John D. Dickinson, John W. Taylor, Nathaniel Pitcher, Reu- 
ben H. Walworth, John Gebhard, Alfred Conkling, Samuel Campbell, 
James Hawks, Joseph Kirkland, Thomas H. Hubbard, Micah Sterling, 
Elijah Litchfield, William B. Rochester, David Woodcock, Elijah Spen- 
cer, Benjamin Elllicott. Senators — Rufus King, Martin Van Burea. 

Philip P. Barbour of Virginia was chosen speaker of the house. 

Officers of the Government of the United States: James Monroe, pre- 
sident, Daniel Tompkins, vice president ; John Q. Adams, secretary of 
state; William H. Crawford, secretary of the treasury; John C. Calhoun, 
secretary at war; Smith Thompson, secretary of the navy; Return J. 
Meigs, post-master general; John Marshall, chief justice. 

Officers of the Government of the State of New York: His Pjxccllency 
De Witt Clinton, governor; John Taylor, lieutenant gov.; James Kent, 
chancellor; Ambrose Spencer, chief justice; William W. Van Ness, 
Joseph C. Yates, Jonas Piatt, John Woodworth, justices of S. C. ; John 
V. N. Yates, secretary of state; John Savage, comptroller; Benjamin 
Knower, treasurer; Simeon De Witt, surveyor general; Samuel A. Tal- 
cott, attorney gen.; William L. Marcy, adjutant general; Gerrit V. 
Denniston, judge advocate general; Archibald Campbell, deputy secre- 
tary. 

Died. At his seat in Greenbush, Rensselaer county on Tuesday evening 
December 1 1th, 1821, Major Nanning I. Visscher aged forty-nine. 
Major Visscher received his first commission, as ensign, in the United States 
army under President Washington, at the early age of nineteen, and entered 
into immediate service. He received regular promotion in our then small 
military establishment, and served under Gen. Wayne during the whole 
of that dangerous warfare, until our Indian enemies were driven back and 
peace was made with them. Possessing an ardent zeal for the service, and 
being rigidly exact in the performance of every military duty, he was en- 
trusted by his general with the command of several important military 
posts, and often placed in highly responsible situations, wberehis bravery 
and prudence rendered him essentially useful. He was again promoted 
by President Adams in the second regiment of infantry, in 18U1, where 
he remained till 1810, when he was transferred to the rifle regiment. 
Having obtained permission to go to England, on his private aifairs, about 
the commencement of the late war, he hastened the settlement of his busi- 
ness in that country, and, on his return, solicited from government employ- 
ment, with a rank to which he justly deemed his long service, and the aug- 
mentation of the army entitled him. The places he had a right to expect, 
however, having been filled up with officers who had been junior to him 
in rank, he felt himself bound to tender his resignation. Major Visscher 
was ever considered a valuable officer and a worthy citizen. His urbanity 
of manners and gentlemanly deportment, gave him many friends. Those 
who were more particularly intimate with liim, and had an opportunity to 
know his uuafi'ected generosity and genuine goodness of heart, will long 



Legacy op IItstorical Gleanings. 369 

remember him with sincere affection. His death will be deeply felt by 
ati extcDsive circle of friends and connections, but by none so acutely, as 
his afflicted widow. Respect for his memory was marked by the numbers 
who attended his funeral on Thursday, loth instant. Several of the uni- 
form companies of Albany, notwithstanding the unfavorable state of the 
weather and dangerous crossing, with their characteristic promptness, 
volunteered in paying the last honors to the deceased fellow-soldier. 

Gov. Clinton to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Albany, 25 December, 1821. 

Knowing your indisposition to an Epistolary Correspondence, I did not 
intend to trouble you with any of my letters until something should occur 
of considerable interest, and a rumor which has just reached me has 
prompted this communication. It is said that the Post Master General 
has notified the Post Master of this City, that if he does not make good his 
defaults by the first of January, he will be removed. And as this will be 
out of his power, a Scramble will take place for the spoil. Judge Howe 
it is said is already at work. Can you ascertain the truth of this and let 
me know who the Sureties are and whether we ought to stir in this affair, 
as we are all concerned in having a good post master. Our Legislature meet 
on the 1st of January. The Speech will be sent to you immediately after 
it is delivered. The public mind is in a favourable tone, and I think that 
great events are yet in store and will in time be realized. Send the docu- 
ments regularly. 

One of your Daughters sustained an injury by a fall but she is now 
almost well and the rest of your family entirely so. 

I am dear Sir, Your sincere friend, 

De Witt Clinton. 

The Honorable Solomon Van Rensselaer, In Congress, Washington. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer to the Patroon. 
My Dear Sir, Washington Dec. 26, 1821. 

I have just received your letter for which I thank you. Your congratu- 
lations on my escape in the stage, and your pious thanks to Him who has 
so often protected me in danger, calls forth feelings which are easier felt 
than expressed. To that All-powerful Being I also feel grateful, in which 
an interesting and affectionate family have reason to participate. This 
warm expression of your feelings is the more grateful to my heart, as I 
feared from some circumstances that I had been inis-repret^ented. It was 
my intention to have spoken to you, on this subject, that I might meet 
my calumniator before you, but a conscious pride that I had, at the risk 
of promotion, office and more serious consequences at this place — defended 
you, kept me silent. I never wrote or urged any person living in f\ivor 
of my nomination [to Congress], which took place three days after I got 
home. When Mr. Schuyler called upon and urged me to decline, and after 
I told him that it was not from ambition, but to save something for my 
family that I could not, he spoke of my jjccvniari/ ohUgations to the/amilj/ ! 
it roused my indignant feelings. I told him if ^ou had of your own accord 
paid money /or me, I had staked mi/ life and spent my hlood in defence 
o/your honor and reputation. I regretted I had said so much but, the 
indelicate manner in which he treated me, at the moment, called it forth : 
besides from what passed between us at this place, I was satisfied you knew 
47 



370 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

nothing of the project. At this crisis too I had been removed, [from being 
Ailjutant General] and one charge against me was for pushing the pro- 
motion of the very man who wished my phice here [in Congress.] 

You have formed a proper opinion of Eustis, he is amiable, weak and 
honest, he is particularly friendly to me, before he left the War office, he 
put me down as a Brigadier-General. He is easily managed, has no 
opinion of his own. The Committee will go with me, and as that is well 
known I receive every attention. We have had three meetings, I waived 
the subject of the army ; we meet again tomorrow when I shall be ready 
to act. I rejoice that our opinions on this subject coincide, but my opinion 
shall not he known before hand. Calhoun called and set with me an hour, 
this morning, to explain the difficulty at West Point. He asked me to 
take a family dinner with him, but which I declined as I was engaged at 
the Presidents — oxU of alpliahcticnl order. 

Van Buren is very civil, he and all the Bucktails have been to see me. 
I am upon good terms with them all, but they are detested by the very 
men they voted with on the subject of the Speaker. Van Buren stays 
■with Dickinson, Patterson and others at Strothers ; he spoke at the table 
in handsome terms of me. He knows nothing of the object I have in 
view. The office of Post Master at Albany will become vacant unless he 
makes deposits to a large amount in the State Bank without delay. He 
has been written to more than a fortnight since, and up to this day the 
Post Master General has received no answer from Southwick. The Post 
Master General is my decided friend, I will also have the support of the 
Secretary of War [John C. Calhoun]. I think also all the members from 
our State in our House, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee will vote that 
office to me; and if a strong recommendation comes from Albany, and you 
write to King and Van Buren in such terms as the occasion will warrant, 
I think by abandoning politics, with a strict regard to my duty, I may sit 
down in comfort, peace and quietness with an affectionate family the rest 
of my precarious days. I have indeed, as you say, made sacrifices enough. 

Without any trouble 1 will procure the nomination of Stephen. What- 
ever interesting occurs you shall be made acquainted with. I stay at the 
same house, and in the same room you found me, opposite to Calhouns, 
where I shall be rejoiced to see you. Randolph — he is as crazy as ever, 
but very friendly, and many others asked about you. 

Whatever Providence has decreed for me, I never shall be wanting in 
gratitude or affection for you. 

Southwicks fixed Salary, free of expenses is $2000, his son who is 
dead got $800 and another son, a little boy S150, besides two clerks at 
$300 each. I have written to Denniston and McKown on this subject. 

Your Obt. Servt. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

Denniston told me before I left home, that Southwick was much in 
arrears and wished me to enquire about it. I think it very probable that 
he would like the situation for his son-in-law Robert Elliott who was teller 
in the Bank but has resigned his situation. 

Judge McKown to Gen. Van Bensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Albany, 26 Dec, 1821. 

Mr. Denniston has shewn me your letter to him. I believe he writes 
himself by this mail, but immediately on reading your letter he did not 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 371 

hesitate to say instantly that he would not make any interest for himself, 
but would cordially assist in every way you niii^ht point out or that he 
could himself suggest to give eftect to your application. And he desires 
by all means that you should not let any circumstance escape you at 
Washington that might further your prospects. I do not understand 
you to say in your letter that I shall communicate with our friends 
Alexander and Van Vechten on the subject at present, and I shall wait 
your instructions, lest by doing so I dhall be premature. I hazard 
nothing when I say we can raise the united voice of the wealthy character^ 
and business of our City in your favor. As to those who do not pay 12^ 
cents postage a year, they may be induced to recommend the first Specu- 
lator and adventurer that applies. But the P. M. Genl. and the heads 
of Department know full well how to estimate those who apply by numbers 
of those who recommend. 

The Government were imposed upon in the appointment of the present 
incumbent, and I should suppo,se they would rather take a man they did 
know, and who the country knew, than one recommended by others, no 
matter how high in office those were who solicited for him. If there was 
not a defalcation, the great dissatisfaction and distrust of the office that 
at present exist here among the business part of the Citizens of every 
denomination, ought to induce the removal of the Incumbent without 
hesitation. I take it for granted it must be so. Now for Mr. Van Bureu 
to think of the appointment of Chancellor Lansing is perfectly idle, for 
reasons which he knows as well as any one. That Chancellor L. is poor 
or insolvent ought never, to say the least, be made a claim for such an 
office where there is so much responsibility. Indeed with reflecting men 
it would, I should think, operate against his application. But he is too 
old — between 65 and 75, can it be expected infirm as he is, he can go into 
such an office to do business ? And let me say our Citizens will never be 
satisfied unless the head of the office shows himself in it. If Chancellor 
Lansing gets the office, no doubt it is to go into the hands of his Son-in 
Law Livingston, a young Lawyer from Dutchess County, who is an 
entire stranger here. And what can Mr. Van Buren hope can be 
gained in a party point of view by such an appointment ? Chancellor 
Lansing has no longer any personal or family influence. There's not a 
man of any talent in the whole concern, except Mr. Sutherland, who is 
already well provided for, and therefore no danger of their losing him. 

Let me hear from you and give me instructions. I say nothing to any 
one till I hear from you. 

Our Legislature meets you know on the first day of January. As poor 
D — of the minority will of course have but little to say in organizing 
the House — Ronieyn of New York and Burt of Orange are canvassing 
for Speaker on the Bucktail side. I write in a hurry to enable me to get 
this in the mail this evening. Yours truly 

Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer, James McKown. 

House of Representatives, Washington City. 

To The Hon. Return J. Meigs Post Master General op the 

United States. 

Understanding that there is a vacancy in the post office at Albany in 
the State of New York and the Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer is a candi- 
date for the appointment ; 



372 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

We the subscribers deem it a duty due to merit to state, that we are 
well acquainted with General Van Rensselaer. That he served several 
years in the army of the United States in the Western country. That lie 
bore a distinguished part in the memorable campaign that liberated the 
western country from the scourge of Indian warfare. That he was distin- 
guished for his courage and conduct on all occasions, that the place of 
danger was with him the post of honor, and that he there received a 
wound through the lungs which will probably alFect him through life. 

That his patriotism, without office, prompted him in the late war to vol- 
unteer his services for the benefit of his country, and that his services, 
his wounds, and his sufferings at Queens Town will never be forgotten 
while the record of the memorable events of that war shall adorn the 
history of our country. 

And we beg leave to add that Gen. Van Rensselaer has the honor of 
being descended from a revolutionary patriot and hero — who contributed by 
his patriotism, his courage, and his arms to the achievement of our inde- 
pendence, and who — as will be the case with his son — carried the ball 
of the enemy in his body to the grave. 

Without any other motive than a regard for a meritorious officer who 
has spent the flower of his days in toils and dangers, and who has sustained 
an unusual share of sufferings in his country's service — do we take an 
interest in the Appointment of Gen. Van Rensselaer. And with an ar- 
dent wish that a brave and wounded soldier may be sheltered from the 
storms of adversity, and may with his family find a solace to his afflictions 
in the gratitude of his country, do we most cordially recommend him to 
the favourable notice of the Post Master General. 

Washington December 31st, 1821. Thomas R. Ross. 

" Twenty-two out of twenty-eight members of the New York delegation, 
of both branches of congress joined in a request that General Van Rens- 
selaer might be the one to supersede "Mr. Southwick (since his removal 
was absolutely decided upon). I know that a more exact republican does 
not belong to the executive branch of this government than the post 
master general. Wherever and whenever he can ascertain the will of 
the people, he respects it. The people can not be deceived much longer 
by empty and sinister professions. They begin to discover that real pat- 
riotism must be exeiuplified by men's actions, and not merely by their profes- 
sions. Mr. Van Rensselaer's actions have established his reputation as a 
patriot. The evidences of his patriotism are indelibly fixed upon his person, 
by the hostile weapons of the enemies of his country. Where shall we 
look for evidences among the most assuming leaders of the bucktail party 
and their most noisy adherents ? This appointment will be a salutary 
administration, and prove that proscription for nonconformity to their 
political tenets is not the true test of republicanism." 

The Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

My dear Sir, Albany, Jan. 2d, 1822. 

I have this moment returned from the Capitol, the Governor delivered 
a vei'y long and interesting speech which you will receive by the next 
mail. It is said, for I could not owing to the crowd remain, the ablest 
he ever spoke, and I suspect his last. I learned this morning that Chan- 
cellor Lansing expects the Post Office, and Van Buren and King are 
his friends — do not mention from whom you received the information. I 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 373 

make the suggestion tliat you may be on your guard. The merchants 
have promised to represent to the Post Master General that they have re- 
quested their correspondents not to remit money through the Albany 
Post-OfKce. You must therefore depend on your own exertions with our 
Members before they are engaged by Van Burcn. I will be with you 
this month. 

I was sorry to find your good Wife this morning so unwell, Elizabeth 
told me, she coughed violently last night. I hope however, nothing seri- 
ous will occur. 

llomain is Speaker, and Livingston Clerk. V. D. Ileyden is very 
wroth, so is Major [lall and Esleek, they say-, they are a perfidious set of 
fellows. We had a delightful day yesterday for visiting. I had the house 
full, the Military and Militia all called to see me. I told Dalaby that I 
hoped the Congress would not disturb them this Session and he expects 
you will be the Iriend of the Army, lieceive my congratulations and 
many happy returns of the Season. Yours Sincerely, 

S. V. liENSSELAER. 

]\Tajor Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Washington City. 

The Vice President to Mr. Thomx)son. 

Dear Sir, Washington, January 4, 1822. 

For the first I learned this day that Solomon Soutiiwick was to be re- 
moved from the post-office in Albany, and the only person recommended 
was Solomon Van Rensselaer, late adjutant-general of New York, and 
now a federal member of congress from that district. Upon the develop- 
ment of this circumstance, Mr. King, Mr. Van Buren and myself addressed 
a note immediately to the postmaster-general requesting him to suspend 
any appointment for a fortnight, that our friends in Albany might be 
advised of the contemplated removal, and be enabled to recommend a suc- 
cessor. To that communication we have this moment received the en- 
closed answer. Mr. King is at Georgetown ; Mr. Van Buren is dining at 
the navy barracks with Col. Henderson. I have, therefore, as the answer 
was directed to me, taken the liberty of advising you of the contemplated 
change and of requesting you to communicate to Mr. Dudley, the mayor 
of Albany, Judge Skinner and Treasurer Knower, the fact of change and 
recommendation, and desire them to communicate as soon as possible the 
wishes of the republicans of Albany to 3Ir. Van Buren ; and it would be 
advisable that they should send it part of the way by private conveyance 
or mail their communication this side of Albany. As the other gentle- 
men cannot unite in this communication by the mornings mail, I have 
thought the matter of sufficient importance to write alone, and will unite 
with them to morrow. If the president shall decline to postpone for a 
fortnight, as we have requested, the necessity of the case will induce us to 
recommend Chancellor Lansing, without knowing the wishes of our friends 
in Albany, and for which we shall of course be pardoned if we err. It 
will surprise you to know that sixteen of our representatives have recom- 
mended Mr. Van Rensselaer. " Whip me such republicans !" Do not 
fail to communicate this intelligence, which I would have communicated 
directly to the gentlemen above named, but for causes with which you are 
acquainted, and which have not ceased even at this session — I mean the 
opening of letters addressed to or franked by me. 

Your friend and servant, 

Jonathan Thompson, Esq. Daniel D. Tompkins. 



374 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The above letter was sent by tbe vice president under cover to the 
collector of the port of New York, Jonathan Thompson, and by him for- 
warded to the mayor of Albany. In the note which accompanied the 
document Mr. Thompson says: "Are copies of letters which I received 
this mornino; from the vice president. I hasten to give you their contents, 
that you may be enabled to make use of the information in the way sug- 
gested by the vice president. With the assurance of my respect and 
esteem. Jonathan Thompson. 

" Charles E. J3udley, Esq., Mayor of Albany." 

Great exertions had been made by the contending parties for success, 
and it was with difficulty that the opponents of General Van Rensselaer 
could conceal their chagrin and regret at what they feared would eventu- 
ally prove the successful result, of the determined eifurts of his numerous 
and influential friends, and which soon culminated in his appointment to 
the Coveted position. lie fortunately could rank among his supporters 
" men, whose firmness and patriotism would have done honor to the best 
days of Greece and Rome;" who could understand when proper checks 
and balances were necessary for the preservation of liberty, and did not 
fear to adopt bold and energetic measures. 

Gmernor Clinton to Gen. Van Renssdaer. 

My dear Sir, Albany 5 January 1822. 

As the best mode of promoting your object and at the same time of 
consulting my own self respect, I have thought it most advisable to avoid 
a direct application to the P. M. General, either by letter or by signing a 
Memorial. I however send an open letter directed to Col. Pell — which 
you can send immediately to the I'ost Master General — or in concurrence 
with the latter make such use of it as you may think best calculated to 
effect an object so anxiously desired by me because so important to you. 
A petition is in circulation tor you — it will be well signed. I have spoken 
to Major Smith (the Brother-in-law of Judge Howe) he is decidedly 
friendly to your views and will not only sign, but endeavor to get signa- 
tures. He says that the whole City will come out in your favor. I shall 
urge this measure on other friends. Your Wife is convalescent and the 
rest of your family well. Let me hear from you often. 

I am yours truly D. W. C. 

The Honorable Solomon Van Rensselaer, in Congress, Washington. 

Governor Clinton possessed a truly warm heart and his exertions were 
never limited when the welfare of those he loved was the incentive for 
action. " In the conflict of honest opinions he boldly took his part, and 
if his zeal at times excited the fears of his followers, his patriotism won 
the hearts of his opponents;" and he was ever unremitting in his earnest 
efforts to benefit the oppressed and deserving citizen. 

Mr. Van Buren to Mr. Knowcr and Others. 

Gentlemen : Washington January 5, 1825. 

The accompanying letter will show you what has been done in regard to 
the post-office and the present state of this question. If I could have sup- 
posed that our members could have recommended Mr. Van Rensselaer I 
would have expostulated with them on the subject. I have no doubt they 
are as much mortified about it now as I am. Before I knew about it the 
postmaster general had committed himself to V. R. In that state of the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 875 

question, we thought proper to present the name of (Ihancellor Lansing. 
By we, I mean the vice-president, Mr. King and myself. The president 
being personally acquainted with the chancellor, and entertaining a per- 
sonal regard for him, we thought it the most likely mode to defeat the ap- 
pointment of V. R. independent of a desire on our part to do something 
for the cliancellor. In the course you pursue you should have regard to 
the circumstance that the post-master general is committed, »fcc., (was so 
before I knew that Southwick would be removed) on two points, viz., the 
removal of Southwick and the appointment of V. R., and not only commit- 
ted, but evidently desirous that it should take place, and that nothing 
but the positive interference of the president can arrest the proceeding. 
la this view of the matter you will see the propriety of uniting on your 
candidate and of making as impressive an appeal to the president as prac- 
ticable. The measures I advise are the following: 1st. Let the republi- 
cans of the city send a memorial to the president recommending the chan- 
cellor, if that is agreeable to them, or if they should think as we do, that 
a change of the candidate would be at this moment extremely hazardous 
if notdecisive against us. It is proper, however, that you should know that 
no application upon this subject direct or indirect has come from the 
chancellor on this subject, nor do I know that he is apprised of what is 
done here. In this memorial I would state simply the respectability, &c., 
of the chancellor, and the desire to see him provided for. Such a petition 
I suppose would be signed by as many federalists as would apply for V. 
R. It has been insinuated here that the place is desired for young Mr. 
Livingston and not for the chancellor. Upon this subject there ought to 
be an understanding. I do not think Mr. Livingston has any such claim 
upon the party, and if the office was not desired and desirable for the 
chancellor himself, I would not advocate it. 2d. I would have prepared 
and addressed the president a memorial to be signed by all the republican 
members of the senate and assembly setting forth : Lst, why the office is 
a matter of state concern the reasons for which will readily occur to you. 
2d, I would admit V. R.'s services, but state what the general and state 
governments have already done for him and that his removal was in con- 
sequence of his becoming an inveterate partisan, when he was made to 
share the fate of others, and that the government of the state have been 
justified by its people in the act. 3d. That whatever may be deemed a 
fit course at this time on the question of removing federalists from office 
on the ground of their politics, you think that all other matters equal, a 
republican should be preferred for a new appointment on that ground only. 
I would present that question distinctly to the president, that we may 
know hereafter what we are to expect. It can scarcely be necessary for 
me to say, that that should be done with the utmost delicacy and respect. 
This is extremely important. If the petition should in the least degree 
wear the aspect of threatening or scolding, it would be ruinous. At the 
same time let them speak with firmness, and as if conscious of their rights 
and regardful of their duties ; and, lastly, I would send a letter to those 
republican members, who have subscribed V. R.'s petition, viz., Messrs. 
Cambrelling, Morgan. Pearson, Borland, Hawks, Campbell, Spencer, 
Rochester, Hubbard, Woodcock, and Van Wyck, to be signed by all the 
members of the legislature, setting Ibrth the strong reasons against having 
a federalist in the office at xllbany. 

The regrets that are felt that they have acted as they have, and 
requesting them to withdraw their recommendation. This letter will 



376 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

furnish tlicm with goodi^round for doing what I am persuaded will be very 
agreeable to them, provided the request is couched in such terms as are 
not offensive, which must not be lost sight of. They undoubtedly did it 
through personal solicitations and without appreciating at the moment 
the importance of the place in a political point of view. I hope, 
therefore, that the utmost delicacy will be observed towards them, as 
they are as worthy and honest fellows as ever lived. Especially I 
wish you to remember that dispatch is all important. By this means I 
propose we may defeat V. R's appointment. I say may, for I cannot 
speak with confidence, as the post-raaster-general is evidently determined 
on his appointment. It is said here that he has written to Mr. Southwick 
that V. R. is his successor. Certain it is that he has decided in his 
favor, and that had it not been for our note to him V. R. would have 
been with you as soon as this letter. V. R. says that two of the heads 
of department are in his favor, of whom Mr. Calhoun is said to be one. 
I have not inquired with what correctness, but it would not be amiss 
for Judge Skinner to write him on the subject. I have been thus 
particular because I believed it to be a question in which our friends 
would take a deep interest. Should we be unsuccessful, I will take 
the liberty of suggesting hereafter the course I would advise to obtain 
redress, or rather to improve our condition. 

I wish Mr. Knower would show Mr. Southwick the correspondence be- 
tween us and Mr. Meigs that he may know that we had not sought his 
removal. As this is true it is but right that he should know it. Since 
writing the preceding, I see that Mr. Livingston is chosen clerk. This 
may lead to a wish to change our candidate here. I do not know that it 
would not have that effect upon me if I was not morally certain that an 
attempt to get another man under the circumstances would be abortive. 
The circumstances of the president's personal knowledge of and regard 
for the chancellor is decisive with me as to the expediency of pressing 
him. I am, however, under the direction of my friends, and will cheer- 
fully acquiesce in what they advise. In great haste. 

Yours Sincerely, 

M. Van Buren. 

To Benjamin Knower, Charles E. Dudley, Roger Skinner, Wm. A. 
Duer, M., J. Cantine, Esqrs. 

Martin Van Buren to B. Knower and Others. 

Dear Sir, Washington, Jan'y 6, 1822. 

The enclosed letter was written under an expectation that the question 
of postponement raised by us would have been decided yesterday. It is 
now sent on for the purpose of apprising you what is doing and not for 
you to act upon unless and until you hear further from me. In addition 
to the letters enclosed there are the following which are now in possession 
of the president, viz., a letter from the vice-president, Mr. King, and 
myself to Mr. Meigs asking a postponement until we could communicate 
with you. His answer to us saying in substance that unless the president 
directs, the postponement will not take place. 

My appeal to the president who has treated the matter with the im- 
portance and the delicacy it deserves, and I am well satisfied that if the 
matter rested with him we should have no dilficulty. By the post office 
law the post master general has complete control. The question of post- 
ponement has been before the cabinet for two days, and I expect an answer 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 377 

to-tnorrow. Two of theiu are said, and I believe with truth, to be in favor 
of V. lleusselaer, but I liave no explieit information of this fact that I 
can avow. 

To-morrow morniiii; I will receive an answer from the president, which 
will probably be that he must leave the post master-general to his course. 
If so, he will be disposed to make tiie appointment of V. Rensselaer im- 
mediately. To guard against that, the vice-president and myself have in 
writing requested that in that event he would afford us an opportunity to 
make one more communication to him, in which we will recommend Chan- 
cellor Lansing, and put the question on such political ground that the 
people of the United States may distinctly understand what principles 
prevail in that department of the government, and, may take the measures 
necessary to a wholesome reform. This point must be settled one time or 
other, and no time more opportune than the present. It is one of the most 
interesting departments of the Government, and instead of spending our 
time in small matters, I am for taking the bull by the horns at once, and 
if our friends at home will sustain us we will effect it. I have requested 
a meeting of the republicans who have signed V. Rensselaer's petition to 
night. Every effort has been made to excite their jealousy on account of 
my interference, but I am persuaded they will in the end behave well. I 
will write you again to-morrow. Yours cordially. M. V. Buren. 

To Benjamin Knower, Esq., and others. 

Charles A. Clinton to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, Albany, January 6th, 1822. 

The contemplated vacancy in the office of Post master in this city has 
induced great exertions on the part of your friends, to effect your appoint- 
ment. Your claim will be supported by a powerful petition, comprising 
the most respectable inhabitants and most of the merchants. The other 
candidates, I am told, are not inactive, but are circulating subscriptions 
in every direction. They are Chancellor Lansing ; the old treasurer Dox, 
and I am told — Ely (the one in the comptrollers oiBce). Your ex- 
ertions at Washington must correspond with those making here; and 
you will be successful in your application. I am induced to mention 
this to you so that you may second your friends, and not be induced upon 
any considerations to slacken your efforts. 
Ten Eyck is very active, as is Dr. Bay. 

With best wishes for your success 

Sincerely yours 

C. A. Clinton. 
Honble. Solom. Van Rensselaer, Member Congress, Washington. 

" It behooves the boasting friends of the general government amongst 
us, to suppress their impotent wrath and profit by the magnanimous 
example which the post master general will set before them in the new 
appointment; and we are authorized to say, in contradiction to the asser- 
tion made, that Gen. Van Rensselaer never received any grant or gratuity 
of land whatever, either from the general or state government for his mili- 
tary services." 

Hon. William B. Rochester to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, H. of Rep. 7 January 1822. 

I deem it a duty always to be frank and especially so in our intercourse 
with those we esteem. In observance of that spirit, I have to inform you 
48 



378 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

that having recently learned from an unquestionable source, that the pro- 
posed appointment of a successor to Solomon Southwick Esq. P. M. ;it 
Albany, was giving rise to much speculation, not to say excitement in that 
city, 1 have united with several of my colleagues in a request that a post- 
ponement of the appointment might take place (in case Mr. Southwick's 
dismissal were determined on) until the citizens of Albany could have an 
opportunity of being consulted on the subject : Reflection satisfied me that 
this course was due from all parties to the respectable citizens of that popu- 
lous town ; and this conviction was strengthened by a positive assurance 
from two or three of my colleagues, that it was in perfect accordance with 
your own expressed wishes, at the time they subscribed the paper in your 
behalf, to which I signed my name also, out of respect to your merit and 
for your sufferings as a Soldier. I am, Sir, very respectfully &c. 
Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer. W. B. Rocuester. 

" Hon. William B. Rochester was subsequently appointed president of 
the United States Branch Bank, located at Buffalo. No man is better 
acquainted with the wants and abilities of the people in this section of the 
country. He is deservedly popular, and we hesitate not to say that the 
appointment is the very best that could have been made." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Dr. Bay. 
Dear Sir, Washington, Jany 7th, 1822. 

Last Friday my appointment as Post-Master at Albany was to have 
been made, but owing to the officious interference of King, Tompkins, 
Thompson and Van Buren, the matter was laid before the President who 
called, on Saturday, a (Cabinet Council on the subject. The Post Master 
General [Return J. Meigs,] was requested to attend, and after having the 
papers read, the President asked him, " if he was left to himself, icho 
would he appoint ?" He promptly replied — General Van Rensselaer, 
and then gave his reasons : On account of my gallant services in two wars, 
and that I represented the district, as it were, by unanimous consent. 
"These are strong grounds," observed Crawford and Calhoun. Thompson 
[Smith Thompson, secretary of the Navy,] urged the claims of Chancellor 
Lansing, but without any success. 

It was said by some of the members, in reply to a remark made in rela- 
tion to my politics, that it had no weight, particularly when I had so 
heroically distinguished myself. Much passed, and the unanimous opi- 
nion (in which T — was obliged to concur), was, that the Post Master 
General should be at liberty to do as he pleased. 

Yesterday the President communicated this to Van Buren, who by 
threats and every other means procured a meeting of the Bucktails, last 
evening. He attempted to persuade them to recant, on political grounds, 
that " it was not expedient to have such a rank federalist as Gen. Van 
Rensselaer in the Albany Post Office. However all the clique's personal 
efforts and expostulations could only get seven, out of the eleven repub- 
lican members, to sign a request that the appointment should be delayed, 
until the Citizens of Albany could be consulted, and it has taken that 
course, and now they must decide. There were eleven names annexed to 
the Republicans request of the 5th instant. 

There is much secret mauoeuvering going on both here and in Albany. 
Van Buren and Co. coming out in this manner against the united voice 
of the Cabinet, has excited very great indignation, and King has ruined 



Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 379 

himself in the estimation of all. The fact is well known here, that I 
risked my office of Adjutant General, in support of Kinjjj ajj;afhst the 
very two men he has, now most sin<i;ularly, joined to ruin me ! ! Spencer — 
Cumbreleng — Morgan &c. would not rescind the step taken in my behalf 
although pressed to do so by Van Buren and Tompkins. They have 
tried hard to coerce the Post Master General — without the desired 
eflfect, and are at the same time hand and glove with Charles K. Dudley, 
Benjamin Knower, and Collector Thompson of New York to prevent my 
appointment. It will indeed be a consolation to me through life that I 
have been able, single-handed, to defeat them, even if Albany under 
these adverse circumstances turns a cold shoulder, and deserts me. 

Several of our friends will write, there is much excitement in my favor 
to day ; before this our delegation did not interfere, I manaized the 
matter in my own way. To my gallant fellow sufferer Colonel Richard 
M. Johnson and other friends from the West, I owe every thing. John 
D. Dickinson acts nobly, though Van Buren belongs to his mess. Dickin- 
son stated to Van Buren at the table, that it was strange they should put 
out one pauper and put another in. Van Buren replied warmly, when 
Dickinson said he could prove all he affirmed, which he also mentioned 
this morning to the Post Master General. Golden [Cadwallader D] 
behaves well like the rest, he also writes. Yesterday I flattered myself 
that to-morrow I would have been on the way to Albany. I am in great haste. 
Show this to my poor wife, the Patroon, McKown, Denniston and such 
other friends as you please. That you at Albany may conquer as I have 
here is my prayer. SoL. Van Rensselaer. 

Dr. William Bay, Albany, N. Y. 

General Post Office. 
Sir, Washington City, 7 Jany., 1822. 

Believing that the public interest will be promoted by the appointment 
of a new Post-master at Albany, N. Y., I have accordingly appointed 
Mr. Solomon Van Rensselaer Post-master at that place ; to whom, on the 
receipt of this, you will deliver all the Post-office property in your pos- 
session, taking the receipt therefor, if you desire it. 

You will forward your accounts up to the time when you deliver over 
the office. I am. Sir, 

Yours respectfully. 

To Mr, Solomon Southwick. R. J. Meigs, Jr. 

" In June 1792, Return J. Meigs (post master general) had a very 
narrow escape, when attacked by two Indians. In company with him, 
were a Mr. Symonds and a black boy, who had been hoeing in a corn 
field. The Indians had secreted themselves behind the path, near the 
Muskingum, on its west bank, where they had the river to cross. At a 
turn in the road our laborers having their backs towards the Indians, 
were fired upon. Symonds was shot in the shoulder, when Meigs rushed 
on the largest Indian with his tomahawk raised to throw it. He attempted 
to fire his gun at the savage, which missed fire. Mr. Meigs then partly 
knocked down the Indian, and escaped by plunging into the river and 
swimming it. The Indian threw his tomahawk at Meigs, which grazed 
its object. Symonds plunged into the river, and floated down to the fort, 
though one arm was useless in swimming. He was taken up by the men 
of Fort Harmer, and eventually recovered of his wound. The black boy, 



380 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

twelve years old, attempted to escape, but was tomahawked, killed and 
scalped by the Indians. Mr. Meigs saved his life by his dauntless attack 
of the Indian, and when his gun missed fire, by knocking down his an- 
tagonist, and then out running the other Indian." 

Extract of a Letter from the Evening Post's Correspondent. 

Washington, Jany, 7, 1822. 

With unfeigned pleasure, I inform you that the postmaster general has 
this day appointed General Solomon Van Rensselaer, postmaster at Albany, 
vice Solomon Southwick removed. 

This affair I presume, will cause some little excitement in New York, 
and your readers will doubtless be desirous of learning some of the par- 
ticulars relating to it. It having been determined that Mr. Southwick 
should be removed, the only question with the Cabinet was, who should 
be his successor ? The late Chancellor Lansing's name was brought for- 
ward by his friends, and backed by the influence of the vice president, 
and your two senators Messrs. Van Buren and King ; Gen. Van Rensse- 
laer was also nominated, and he was backed by the influence of the Ken- 
tucky and Ohio members, particularly by Colonel Johnson, of the former 
state. When the question was first put to the members of the cabinet 
they were all in favor of General Van Rensselaer, except the secretary of 
the navy, [Smith Thompson] who objected on account of politics ; but he 
was answered by Mr. Wirt, [William Wirt, attorney-general] who said 
that such considerations were out of the question now ; tliere was no 
lono-er any politics. On which the secretary of the navy is said to have 
acquiesced, and declared himself in favor of the appointment. When it 
was known to your senators, that it was determined, that it should be made 
on Saturday, they requested that it might be postponed till Monday after- 
noon, and in the mean time they drew up a formal memorial against it, 
which was read, but the appointment was then made. It was thought by 
the president and by all the cabinet, that the services the General had 
rendered his country in two wars, with the severe and dangerous wounds 
he had received in the discharge of his duty, were paramount considera- 
tions to every other, and ought to outweigh all the petty local objections 
of a party nature that could be mentioned. I have the pleasure to add, 
that nothing that has transpired here, for a long time, of a similar nature, 
has given such satisfaction as this appointment. General Van Rensselaer 
has been waited on by a great number of members of congress, to con- 
gratulate him on the event. I hope the appointment may aS"ord him an 
honorable and liberal provision for old age. 

Gov. Clinton to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Albany 7 January 1822. 

Spencer Staff"ord as one of the Sureties of Mr. Southwick, (and a very- 
worthy man as you know him to be) is desirous of removing or alleviating 
the pressure produced by this involvement. I recommend him and his 
interests to your earnest and powerful intercession. Yours truly 

Hon. Sol. Van Rensselaer, M. C, Washington. DeWitt Clinton. 

All these original letters written by distinguished men, and relating to 
an interesting period in our local and political history manifest the struggle 
which took place fifty-two years ago for the Albany post office. It was 
regarded as a position of great political importance, and the contest for it 
between the democratic republicans, whose candidate was ex-Chaucellor 
Lansing, and the federalists, whose candidate was Geo. Solomon Van Rens- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 381 

selaer, was ficrco. These old letters throw a flood of light on the politieal 
life of that period of President Monroe's administration to which they 
relate. 

Adeline Van Rensselaer to her Father. 
My Dear Father. Albany January 8, 1822. 

Your political friends in Albany arc very active, of which fact you will 
be satisfied very soon; but some of the Bucktails are a/xo very busy this 
evening, and will defeat you if they can. They evidently have had their 
secret instructions from Washington, and are laying some plans to check- 
mate my old daddy if possible. There are, however, several respectable 
democratic republicans on the List for you; the recommendation from 
the Citizens of dear Albany is very strong. All the gentlemen who have 
been around, are to meet at James M'Kown's, at seven o'clock this even- 
ing to report. If they are all ready with the requisite number of signa- 
tures, the List will go on to Washington by this Mail, or if not completed, 
by the nest. If a powerful commendation and array of names will procure 
you the Albany Post Office, you are sure of it ; though your opponents will 
not relax their efforts to over-reach the Post Master General. 

Judge Van Ness, who arrived to day. Dr. Baji and others think 
the Clique at Washington will make a party question of it ; the Mayor 
[Charles E. Dudley,] Benjamin Knower, D. D. Tompkins, Rufus King 
and the ivi/i/ Martin Van Kuren are closely leagued together ; but you are 
on the spot which will make a material difference in your fovor. G. A. 
Worth — the former Cashier of the Farmer's Bank — is to be a new com- 
petitor, he left this several days since, and must be there by this time. 
Chancellor Lansing has resigned in his favor, and if Worth succeeds, Lan- 
sing's son-inlaw Livingston is to be the Deputy. They say he will have 
Van Buren's influence, so take care of him. Such a struggle and scram- 
ble for the office is perfectly surprising. Mama and all join in much love. 
Your affectionate daughter, 

Adeli.ne Van Rensselaer. 

lion Sol. Van Rensselaer, M. C, Washington. 

Charles A. Clinton to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, Albany January 9th 1822. 

Southwick's friends (principally Bucktails) had a meeting last night 
(Tuesday) and with 3 dissenting voices passed resolutions approving of 
his conduct as postmaster. It is said Elisha Dorr was in the chair and 
Mr. Alderman Esleeck [Welcome Esleeck] was Secretary. 

I am told there are 4 or 5 new candidates for the office : viz John Still well; 
Judge Howe ; iMr. Phelps &c. &c. South wick has gone on to Washington. 

Sincerely yours, C 

Honble. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Member Congress, Washington. 

"Solomon Southwick, Esq., has been removed from the office of po.stmaster 
in this city, [Albany] and Gen. Solomon Van Re.nsselaer, the repre- 
sentative in congress from this county, has been appointed in his place. 

" General Solomon Van Rensselaer passed through New York January 
10th on his way to Albany to enter upon the duties of his office, as post- 
master, and Mr. Southwick passed through the city, that same Thursday, on 
his way to Washington. Mr. Southwick published a short address to the pub- 
lic, before he left Albany, in relation to the attempt then making to effect his 
removal. He says the grounds alleged by some were, that he was a defaulter 



382 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

and that he did not attend to his business. Both accusations, he says, are 
false and malicious." 

" General Van Rensselaer arrived in Albany, from Washington on Satur- 
day evening 12th, and will probably immediately enter upon the duties 
of his appointment." Some one says : " The parties concerned being all dead, 
the publication and revival of reminiscences will be a valuable contribution, 
giving an insight into the political management and secret political history 
of New York." 

General Van Rensselaer had now entered upon the duties of his office, 
and Colonel Robert Elliott was selected as his deputy in this trust. Among 
the subordinate clerks, one of the first appointed was the notable William 
B. Winuc as the city penny post, or as he was more familiarly called 
" Billi/ Winne the Penny Post'' who was ever an active, vigilant officer, 
and retained his situation through a long series of years till in extreme 
old age death claimed another victim. Mr. Winne was, previous to this, for 
some time, captain of the city watch. On the night of December 21, 
1808, an attempted robbery and murder was made by a highwayman — 
Robert Johnson — at the Inn of one John Pye on the Watervliet turn- 
pike — the half-way house between Albany and Troy. The house is still 
standing a short distance south of the entrance to the Cemetery. Mr. 
Pye was badly wounded and fell back fainting on the bed, but Mrs. Pye 
resolutely defended her property and shot the robber who was of " a tall 
and athletic form." After being wounded the desperado made his escape, 
witliout getting the toll-gate money, to the city. He was finally cap- 
tured by Captain Winne. " This man, on finding the track of the robber's 
horse in the snow (he had made a dreadful leap from the foot of Colum- 
bia street to the ice of the Hudson, escaping to Greenbush and thence to 
Aikin's mills), in an instant sprang off after him on a full run, and was 
heard to exclaim to himself in good old Dutch and English, mixed 
together: 'Mine Cot! vat leeps de horse has mate, vull twenty veets. 
Dunder en bliksem ! he's been de duyfel vor running.' Captain Winne 
soon got the start of all other pursuers; Winne was an uncommon active 
man, which his sprightly step still evinced even in old age. He had per- 
formed many a feat, both in pursuit of and in flight from Indians in the 
time of the revolution. Before the outlaw was secured, by a powerful 
blow he had dashed all the officer's front teeth into his mouth. He died 
from his wounds." 

Mr. Van Buren to Mr. Dudley. 

Dear Sir : [Private.] Washington, Jan. 10, 1822. 

The great weight which the New York delegation is now capable of having 
from its members of congress, the almost absolute certainty that the presi- 
dential question will be settled in caucus, and the immense weight her in- 
creased representation will give her there, give her an influence and con- 
sideration which you cannot so well appreciate at home as here. The 
disjointed state of parties here, the distractions which are produced by 
the approaching contest for president, and the general conviction in the 
minds of honest but prudent men, that a radical reform in the political 
feelings of this place has become necessary, render this the proper moment 
to commence the work of a general resuscitation of the old democratic 
party ; and circumstances imperiously point to New York as the source 
from which the good work ought to emanate. With prudence here and 
firmness at Albany, this can effectively be done, and our state be placed 
on hijrher ij-round than she has ever stood. There are at this moment two 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 383 

subjects wliich iui<ilit be laid hold of by the republican nieinbers of our 
state lej;islature with great credit to tbeiusclves and advantajro to the 
country. The first is the presidential question. On this subject I refer 
you to an article in a late lutelligeiiccr as containing a true description of 
the state of feeling here in regard to it, and a tolerable view of the niis- 
cliiefs which are growing out of the premature agitation of this question. 
In congress Messrs. Crawford and Adaius and Calhoun have each decided 
and have active friends ; every day produces some resolution aimed at the 
one or the other of the departments they represent. These resolutions 
are discussed with great bitterness. Every good man deplores tiie state 
of things which has grown and is growing out of it, and would hail with 
gratitude any measure having a tendency to avert the evils it must pro- 
duce. 

If the republican members of our state legislature should hold a meet- 
ing and express their regrets at the early agitation of this matter, and in 
a well-drawn resolution express their convictions of the mischief which 
must inevitably flow from it, and their hopes that their members will not 
mingle in the tray, they would, in my humble opinion, do themselves high 
honor and not be regarded by any one as acting out of the line of their 
duty. The South Carolina meeting may be referred to as proof, &c. The 
oilier subject is that of postmaster at Albany. We have been shamefully 
treated by the post-master-general in this matter. I have no reason to 
complain of Mr. Monroe. On the receipt of my letter he called a cabinet 
council, and the course he took was in pursuance of their opinion on the 
abstract question of his right to interfere. He has throughout shown 
great anxiety on the subject, and would, I am convinced, if the question 
had laid with him, have done us justice. He estimates fully the probable 
effect it will have on the feelings of our friends, and will not be disap- 
pointed at any excitement it may produce with us. You will doubtless 
hear many things about the views of some of the members of the cabinet. 
On that head I must for the present leave you to such information as you 
may casually get. The secretary of the navy has conducted himself with 
great spirit in the matter, and is alive to its eflect with you. Our represent- 
atives who signed Van Rensselaer's petition acted without reflection. They 
are very unhappy, and it would be unwise to mortify them more. It will also 
be seen that all of them, except Morgan and Cambrelling and Spencer and 
Borland, did all they could with propriety to correct their error. These 
signatures did not, in my judgment, influence the post-master-general in 
any other way than to furnish him with an excuse to make an appoint- 
ment he Was anxious to make, but which, without these, he would not 
like to venture upon. Before I was apprised of the extent to which the 
matter had gone, Mr. Meigs had committed himself, and when he gave 
the president the papers he told him he had made up his mind to appoint 
V. 11. unless he was directed to the contrary by the president. 

All good democrats have who understand the matter sympathized with 
us, and are happy to learn that the vice-president and myself have held a 
language on the subject which, though obsolete here, must again come in 
fashion before a situation here can be in any sense useful or desirable, 
and such I am well convinced will be the feelings of the democrats through- 
out the Union. If you submit tamely to this decision you must expect 
hereafter to employ soft, soothing milk and water petitions to get a repub- 
lican preferred to a federalist by the government instead of that manly 
simplicity and characteristic boldness which distinguished the conduct of 



384 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

our public men in the early years of Mr. Jefferson's administration. This 
is not a dispute between us and the president, and furnishes us with an 
opportunity to hold language which it will harm nobody in the govern- 
ment to hear, and will induce all who look to the presidency to ponder 
upon. I propose nothing to be done by you because what ought to be 
done is for you to decide. But if the republican members of the legisla- 
ture should think that the occasion calls for an unequivocal expression 
of their sentiments, that they should speak now or hereafter be silent, 
then I would take the liberty of suggesting that they need not have any 
apprehensions that they will injure themselves here by a bold but respect- 
ful expression of their sentiments, that they may with entire confidence 
rely on the support and sympathy of their republican friends in the Union. 

That the most proper course would be to regard this appointment as a 
decision of that department that the wishes of the great republican party 
of the Union should not be carried into effect, and in addition to an ex- 
pression of an opinion on the matter to appoint a respectable committee 
to correspond with the republican members of other legislatures, now in 
session, to secure co-operation and unity of sentiment to effect a remedy. 
In that correspondence much talent might be shown, and I fully believe 
that an application for the removal of the post-master general would be 
acquiesced in by many of the states. But all measures after the appoint- 
ment of the committee might be left to subsequent reflection and advise- 
ment. It is only in the event of the members thinking proper to take 
such a course that the vice-president and myself think our letters ought 
to be published. With you we will go all proper lengths. Without you 
it might look like a disposition to be querulous. If our letters are pub- 
lished, strike out that part of our letter to you which asks that we be not 
requested to have further communication with the post master general. 
Upon reflection it strikes me that if you should deem it best to publish 
that letter, that part had better be left out. An expression of the senti- 
ments of the citizens would be important. If you should think it wise to 
adopt those measures your representatives may hereafter speak with some 
confidence. If not the most supple will be the most favored. Show this 
confidentially to such of our friends as you may think proper. 

In haste, yours truly, 

Charles E. Dudley, Esq. M. Van Buren. 

Charles E. DucUey to M. Van Buren. 
Dear Sir : Albany, Jan. 14, 1822. 

Your several communications on the subject of the post-office in this 
city have been received, and our friends are highly satisfied with the 
course that the vice-president and' yourself have pursued. The result 
has indeed been mortifying to us, but it ought to be equally regretted by 
the members of the republican party throughout the state. We were 
glad to find that seven of the eleven members of congress who recom- 
mended Van Rensselaer were willing to join in a communication to the 
president, and the citizens of Albany owe something to them in point of 
feeling on this score. The New York members probably lelt themselves 
so far committed as it regarded the appointment of a post-master for a 
city 160 miles distant from them, that they could not retract; their con- 
duct towards the republicans of Albany savors a little of the spirit which 
actuated some of the delegates to the convention from their city. How 
would they have relished your recommendation of one of their most 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 385 

obnoxious political opponents to fill the station now occupied by Gen. 
]>ailoy ? No other atonement can be made, in my opinion, to the injured 
feelings of the republicans of this state than by the president's removing 
the post-master-general from office. 1 indulge tlie hope that this measure 
is already determined on by Mr. Monroe. He must be sensible of the 
great importance that the republican party in this state have been to his 
administration. Although he may not know the difficulties we have had 
to encounter the faction which has been so triumphantly opposed, to main- 
tain him in the presidency, and to shield the general government from the 
attack of a bold but by no means despicable enemy. Nor have you been 
well treated by the post master general, and through you retribution 
ought to reach him. Our opponents here exult, but I do not apprehend 
the political effects will be such as they imagine. We shall not relax; new 
vigor will be infused into the party, and there will, I trust, be a decided 
and universal expression of disgust at the course pursued by Mr. Meigs. 

Mr. Knower has your letter inclosing the correspondence which took 
place at Washington, and will this evening consult our friends as to the 
best mode of proceeding. We shall wish to treat the administration of 
the general government with great delicacy, but there will be no half-way 
expressions as to the postoffice department. The postmaster general must 
be denounced. You alluded in your letter of the 8th, to a confidential 
letter which you proposed to write by the next mail. I hope it may con- 
tain something as to the decision of the president upon the removal of 
Meigs, or that it may give some intimation of movements which may lead 
to it. At any rate we have nothing more mortifying to hear than what 
you have already communicated. 

All that comes after this must be of an encouraging character. 

Hon. Martin Van Buren. Yours, C. E. Dudley. 

The mock drama performed at Albany by puppets was quite an exciting 
affiiir. The wires of this political puppet-show were all pulled at Wash- 
ington by the invisible but skillful hand of the crafty magician. The in- 
teresting letters of Mr. Van Buren were all suggestive as to the republican 
meeting to be held at Albany, and an urgent request that the post master 
general should be removed ! ! ! 

Solomon Van Rensselaer to Philip P. Barbour. 
Sir, Albany 14th Jany., 1822. 

The ill health of my family, and the necessity of attending to my private 
concerns, I hope in peace and quietness the residue of my precarious days, 
have compelled me to retire from Congress, and to resign my seat in the hon- 
orable body over which you preside with so much honor to yourself and use- 
fulness to the public. In taking this step, I would do injustice to my feel- 
ings, were I not to express the sentiments of profound respect which I 
entertain for the House of Representatives, and the grateful sentiments 
cherished towards its members, for the uniform kindness I have experienced 
from them. 

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant, 

Solomon Van Rensselaer. 

Hon. Philip P. Barbour, Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

On February 11th, the speaker communicated to the house the above 
letter, and it was : " Ordered, That the said letter lie on the table, and 
that the speaker do communicate the fact of the resignation of Mr. Van 
Rensselaer to the executive of the state of New York." 

49 



386 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Proclamation by De Witt Clinton, Governor of the State of New York. 

" Whereas in consequence of the resignation of Solomon Van Rensselaer 
Esquire, a Representative in the House of Representatives of the Congress 
of the United States, for the Ninth District, composed of the County of 
Albany, a vacancy has occurred in the said office, I do therefore appoint 
Monday the twenty-fifth day of February next for commencing and hold- 
ing an Election of Representative in Congress, to supply the said vacancy 
in the said district." 

Hon. John D. Dickinson to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington Jany. 15th, 1822. 

I have this morning for the first, been able to leave my Room since 
you left this place, and have this moment returned from the palace from 
complying with your request. I was not in the house so early as to be 
able to ask leave of absence for you during the Session to day and on re- 
flection have determined not to do it until some arrangement is made for 
filling up your place on the military committee, indeed I find from observ- 
ations by some friends, that it is thought you ought to send your resigna- 
tion to the Speaker instead of asking leave of absence. This course, unless 
you have reasons for with-holding your resignation, would appear the 
more correct course. Should you send your resignation, I wish, for par- 
ticular reasons that you would send it to me. The different publications 
respecting your appointment have excited considerable feeling among 
some of our delegation who are attacked for their signing your petition, 
they have — many of them, become indignant and openly justify their 
conduct and I am in hopes will come out in answer to the attack of Noah 
and others. The Mail has just arrived and brings yours of 11th instant. 
Southwick is not, that I have yet heard, in town. 

I will attend to your wishes and am, Yours Sincerely 
Genl. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Jno. D. Dickinson. 

Albany, New York. 

" It was truly wonderful to look at General Van Rensselaer and see with 
what indomitable energy the venerable man had mastered so many dis- 
agreeable obstacles." 

Henry V. B. Schermerhorn to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Uncle, Geneva Jan. 16, 1822. 

The account of your recent appointment has just reached me, and I 
know I need not assure you that I heard it with the most heartfelt grati- 
fication, for never in my life have I rejoiced at any event with more sin- 
cere pleasure. You have now, most unexpectedly to your friends in the 
country and very much to their delight, been rewarded in some measure 
by the General Government of your country, for services which have long 
since entitled you to this, or a greater manifestation of its justice and 
gratitude, and I lose no time in congratulating you. The Bucktails say : 
" We admit that Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer is an honest man, is cap- 
able of being deputy postmaster at Albany ; that he is the son of a revolu- 
tionary officer, that he is a man of great personal bravery, that he loves 
his country, that he has repeatedly exposed his life and shed his blood in 
defence of his country, that he was several times wounded under General 
Anthony Wayne in defending the men, women and children who first 
settled our fine western country, from the torch, the tomahawk and the 
scalping knife of the savage Indians, but, he was ever an uncompromising 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 387 

opponent of our party, therefore we strove against his appointment." You 
are no doubt truly appreciative of all indications of grateful recollection on 
the part of your countrymen, and now having received this, it is to be 
hoped that an invalid soldier may live long to enjoy the comfort it affords 
his declining days. Desiring to be remembered to the whole of your 
family I remain as ever, Your affectionate Nephew. 

H. V. R. SOHERMERHORN. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. 

Hon. Walter Patterson to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

My dear Sir, Washington, Jany. 20, 1822. 

I send the enclosed to you, with the request that if the Judge is not in 
Albany, you will have the goodness to forward it to him. Mr. Dickinson 
has your letter and documents, which he will forthwith send to the Fost- 
Master-General. The delegation are much irritated at Martin Van Buren 
and the Vice Pres. Cambrelling [Churchill C. Cambreling] has written 
a letter in defence of their conduct, which will be published if more is 
said on the subject. The Administration are satisfied with the decision 
of the Post Master General. The threats of Van Buren to the contrary 
notwithstanding. Southwick is here, but can do nothing. Mr. Calhoun 
rises in favor daily. If I can do any thing for you here, command me. 
I hope you will send the Patroon to us. 

Yours truly &c., 

W. Patterson. 

General Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

On January 21st, a public meeting was called at Albany, for the pur- 
pose of expressing much dissatisfaction with the proceedings of the gene- 
ral government at Washington, in relation to the appointment of the post- 
master in that city. The officers of the government of the United States 
were condemned, and many virulent expressions used, while they assumed 
to be amazed at the extraordinary, unwarrantable, and unscrupulous acts 
of the administration. On this occasion the correspondence which took 
place at Washington, relative to the office, was laid before the meeting. 
Mr. Rufus King joined his colleague Martin Van Buren in the first note, 
and the vice president and Mr. Van Buren in the second. Here Mr. 
King's interference appears to have ceased. 



388 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



CHAPTER XVin. 

General Stephen Van Rensselaer Elected to Congress. 

Cor7'espondence about Albany Post Office. 

Sir, Washin-^^ton, Jany 3, 1822. 

We have been informed that it is in contemplation to vacate the office 
of Deputy Post Master for the City of Albany. The importance of the 
station not only to the citizens of Albany (but from the circumstance of 
its being the principal distributing office in the State) to our citizens 
generally, induced us to request that we may be informed of the deter- 
mination of your department before the vacancy is supplied ; our object 
is to secure a fit and full opportunity to all concerned, to make their re- 
presentations to you, on the subject. Will there be any objection to a 
compliance with our request ? Yours respectfully, 

K King, M. Van Buren. 

Hon. Return J. Meigs, Post Master General. 

Gentlemen, General Post Office, Jany. 4, 1822. 

I had the honor to receive yours of yesterday. It has become neces- 
sary to appoint a new Post Master at Albany. An application made by 
the friends of General Van Kensselaer, is now before the President for 
his consideration. 

It is desirable that an appointment shall be made without delay. I have 
the honor to be, With respect your obt. ser., R. J. Meigs Jr. 

Hon. Rufus King, Hon Martin Van Buren. 

Sir, Washington, Jan. 4, 1822. 

Having been informed by your note of this morning, that your present 
deputy Post Master of Albany is to be removed, we have to request that 
the appointment of his successor may be delayed long enough to enable 
the citizens of the place to express their wishes on the subject. We do 
this in consideration of the importance of the appointment, and under a 
conviction that they are not apprised that a new appointment is at this 
time to be made Should you think proper to comply with our request, 
we propose two weeks as the requisite time, and in that event you will 
please inform us whether the consideration of the question is still with the 
president, in order that the citizens of Albany may be informed to whom 
their communications may be addressed. We request the favor of your 
answer in time to enable us to make the requisite communication by the 
next mail. 

Yours Respectfully, 

Daniel D. Tompkins, Rufus King, Martin Van Buren. 

Hon. Return J. Meigs, Post Master General. 

Gentlemen, General Post Office, Jany. 4, 1822. 

I have the honor to state, in reply lo yours of this date, that the Presi- 
dent has not decided or directed in the case of the expected vacancy of 



Legacy op Histouical Gleanings, 389 

the Post Master at Albany. It is desirable that a new Post Master should 
be appointed without much delay. If the President thinks proper to liave 
the appointment delayed, it will be so. The president this day referred 
me to the Secretary of the Navy [Smith Thompson] upon whom I called, 
who informed me that he would communicate with me to morrow. 
Very Respectfully yr. Obt and humble Servt, 

lion. D. D. Tompkins, II. J. Meigs, Jr. 

Hon. Rufus King, Hon. Martin Van Ruren. 

Sir, Washington Jan. 5, 1822. 

The enclosed letters explain our wishes and the object of this applica- 
tion. If the delay we ask can be granted, we would be much obliged by 
being apprised in season to write home by tomorrows mail. Sensible of 
the deep interest which our citizens will, for a variety of reasons, take in 
the question, I would much regret a decision without affording them an 
opportunity to be further heard. With great respect. M. Van Buren. 

P. S. If proper, I wish the letters may be returned to me. 

To the President of the United States. 
Sir, 

We unite in the request which has been made for the postponement of 
the appointtuent of deputy Post Master for the City of Albany (in case 
the removal of Mr. Southwick is determined on) until an opportunity can 
be afforded to the citizens of that place to express their wishes on the 
subject, and earnestly solicit that the same be complied with. 

We have the honor to be, very respectfully yr. obt. Servants, 
James Hawks, T.H.Hubbard, 

Nathaniel Pitcher, E. Litchfield, 
W. B. Rochester, W. W. Van Wyck, 

Richard M'Carty, R. H. Walworth, 

Jer. H. Peirson, Sam. Campbell. 

I). Woodcock, 

Sir, Washington, Jan. 7, 1822. 

I have received your letter requesting a postponement of any ap- 
pointment to the vacancy in the Post office at Albany for a specific 
time. As this case is connected with others, and involves a principle in 
the administration of the Post office department, I have on that account 
as well as my respect for you and the other gentlemen, who have united 
in making the request, bestowed on it all the consideration which it justly 
merited. By the law, establishing the Post Office department, the appoint- 
ment of all the officers employed in it, under the Post Master General, is 
exclusively vested in him, without reference to the President. Had it 
been intended that the President should control the appointments in de- 
tail, or take any agency in them, the provisions of the law, and the powers 
granted by it, would have been different. Such also according to my ex- 
perience and information on the subject, has been the uniform practice of 
the executive. For these reasons I deem it improper to interfere. I am 
Sir with great respect, — Your very obt. Sevt., James Monroe. 

Sir, Washington, Jany. 6, 1822. 

If an application for delay in regard to the appointment of deputy Post 
Master at Albany be denied, we have to request that you will indulge us 



390 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

with an opportunity of making further communication to you on the sub- 
ject before the ultimate decision be made. 

We have the honor to be your obt. and very humble Servt's, 

D. D. Tompkins, Martin Van Buuen. 
Hon. Return J. Meigs, Post Master Greneral. 

Gentlemen, General Post Office, Jan. 7, 1822. 

I do not deem it expedient to delay the appointment of a Post Master 
at Albany. I can have certainly no objections to receive from you any 
communications which you may be pleased to make on that subject. 
I have the honor to be respectfully your obt. servt., 

R. J. Meigs. 
Hon. D. J). Tompkins, Hon. M. Van Buren. (Received at Sun Rising, 
Jany. 7, 1822.) 

Those letters with those following were sent to Albany to the committee. 
" Immediately wrote him a note that as the delay solicited could not be 
granted, he would receive the communication contemplated by the note 
of Mr. Van Buren and myself of Saturday by 1 o'clock. Mr. Stevenson 
delivered the note personally, and Mr. Meigs was pleased to say he would 
wait accordingly. D. D. Tompkins." 

A Letter to the Post Master General. 
Sir, Washington, Jany. 7, 1822. 

Having understood from you, that the P. M. at Albany, was at all 
events to be removed, and sensible that such an event was not so known 
or expected by the citizens of that place, as to afford them an opportunity 
to express their wishes as to his successor, we on Friday last handed in a 
request for a postponement on the subject until they could be apprized of 
the determination of your department. In reply to our note you was 
pleased to say, that the consideration of the subject was with the Presi- 
dent, and that if he directed the postponement it might be granted. 
Under an impression that that question was still open with the President, 
we applied to him, and it appears by note, which he this moment enclosed 
to us, and which we here transmit to you, that a great proportion also of 
the representatives of our State, most of whom had signed Mr. V. R.'s 
application, to you, addressed a note to the President earnestly soliciting 
the delay asked for by us. At an early hour this morning, we were in- 
formed by you, that you do not deem it expedient to delay the appoint- 
ment, but declaring your readiness to receive the communication, we had 
requested an opportunity to make, before your ultimate decision on the 
question was made. Under these circumstances, we take the liberty of 
recommending to you for the appointment of deputy at Albany, John 
Lansing Jun. Esqr. Mr. L, is one of the few surviving patriots of the 
revolution ; he was a member of the convention which formed the con- 
stitution of the U. S., and of that which adopted it in the State of N. Y. ; 
has been chief justice of the Supreme Court, and Chancellor of the State, 
which latter place he held until arrived at the age of sixty, when, by the 
Constitution he was disqualified from continuing in it and reduced to the 
station of a private citizen. His integrity and capacity are unquestion- 
able, and the appointment in a pecuniary point of view would perhaps 
be important to him, and to a numerous and amiable family. We feel 
Sir, that we speak correctly, when we say, that nothing would be more 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 391 

grateful to the feelings of the people of our State, than to see an old 
patriot thus provided for in the evening of his days. 

Of (leneral Van Kensselaer we have no desire to say anything which 
might excite personal prejudice : that his conduct has been that of a gallant 
Ulan, we cheerfully admit. But we submit to your consideration, how far 
he has partaken of the justice of his country. It cannot be unknown to 
you, that the U. S. have granted him a liberal pension for life, which 
with becoming munificence was allowed to commence many years back; 
independent of which, he has for a long time held a lucrative office in the 
State of N. York, under several successive administrations of different 
and hostile political sentiments. 

Mr. Lansing is now, and always has been, a firm and inflexible republi- 
can, zealously devoted to the maintenance of the great republican party 
of the Union. 

Mr. Van R. has throughout been a warm, active and indefatigable op- 
ponent of that party. 

We will not discriminate between the pretensions of the two gentlemen, 
on the score of capacity and integrity, but assume what we feel confident 
will not be denied by the friends of Mr. V. R. that Mr. Lansing's are at 
least equal to his. In this view of the subject we wish to submit to you, 
whether the preference ought not to be given to Mr. Lansing, because he 
belongs to the republican party, and to secure a decision upon that ques- 
tion by your department, we now propose, that if any objections are made 
to Mr. Lansing which have weight with you, we will suggest the name 
or names of other respectable republicans of the City of Albany, to whom 
the appointment will be acceptable. 

Knowing as we do that the republicans of the State of New York, will 
regard it as a matter of great importance, that the Post Office at the seat 
of government should be in the hands of a gentleman of the same 
political character with themselves; and anxious that they should 
fully understand the principle which in this particular governs your 
department, we have felt it to be our duty and our right to present, 
on this occasion, that question respectfully but distinctly to your de- 
cision. We forbear discussion on the matter and therefore content 
ourselves with observing, that whatever might be the correct course 
as to removals from office, at this time when the feelings of party are 
in some degree relaxed, we had flattered ourselves, with the hope that 
for new appointments at least (all other matters equal) a preference would 
be given by every department of a republican administration to its repub- 
lican supporters. There is one more point of view on which we wish to 
present the matter to your consideration. Gen. Van Rensselaer held the 
ofiSce of Adjutant General of our State for many years, and as we have 
before stated under different administrations. In the severe and trying 
contest in which the republicans of that State have for some years past 
been involved, he yielded his undivided exertions against them, and was 
a zealous and efficient partisan. Having succeeded in wresting the power 
from the hands of their adversaries, the government of that State only last 
winter thought proper to extend to him the rule which had with an un- 
sparing hand, been applied to their friends, by removing him from office. 
The people of the State have at two successive elections by large and de- 
cisive majorities, approved the course of those whom they entrusted with 
the power of the state. You can very readily estimate the feelings with 
which they will learn, that a department of the general government has 



392 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

so soon, and under such circumstances, conferred an office which will give 
him much more political influence and consideration among them, than 
the one of which they have deemed fit to deprive him ; and will deter- 
mine to what respect those feelings are entitled. 

With respect: jr. obt. Servants, 

Danl. D. Tompkins, 
M. Van Buren. 
To Hon. Return J. Meigs, Post Master General. 

Post Master Oeneral to the Vice President and Martin Van Buren. 

Gentlemen, Geul. P. Office, Jany. 8, 1822. 

Your communication of Yesterday, I had the honor to receive, and to 
give it an attentive perusal, and a respectful consideration. I regret that 
on a view of the whole subject, I have not been able to accord with your 
views and opinions. 

With high respect, I am your most obt. Servant. 

The Hon. D. D. Tompkins. ) R. J. Meigs. 

The Hon. M. Van Buren. J 

Extract. " January 22, 1822. It is not a little singular that Mr. Rufus 
King [U. S. Senator] the last federal candidate for Governor in this State, 
and the man to whom his friends looked as the standard of orthodoxy, 
should object to the appointment of General Van Rensselaer because he 
is a federalist; and it is still more strange, that the Vice President and 
others, should claim the post office department as an appendage to their 
party. I was the most surprised at the monstrous attempt to persuade 
the President and the Post Master General, that the dominant party in 
this state, had a right to the Post Office in Albany as a party engine, for 
I can make nothing less of their proceedings. 

" No want of capacity or integrity is alleged against General Van Rens- 
selaer — yet he stands denounced by the very men who declare that he 
has been sustained in office by them for many years, when he was at the 
same time their active and efficient opponent. This is the highest com- 
pliment they could pass upon him, and yet the same men have the effront- 
ery to denounce this veteran at Washington, and not only this, but to 
demand the removal of the Post Master General or the appointment of a 
Post Master at Albany who will make his office subservient to the party 
views. The reason they assign for their efforts to defeat this appointment 
of the General's was, because he ever openly was adverse and opposed to 
the party which they represented. I had imagined and supposed the 
sentiment was general that post offices and mail routes were established 
for the benefit of the people at large without reference to political parties 
and I never before heard any party claim as a right the appointment of 
the agents employed to transact the business in which every party had an 
equal interest." 

Hon. John D. Dickinson to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington 22d Jany, 1822. 

I have received your two packets containing Letters and recommenda- 
tion which had been sent back to you at Albany, and have personally de- 
livered them to the Post Master General. You may rest entirely at ease 
as to any effort in the power of Southwick to make here. I have this 
morning had a conversation with the Post Master General on the subject ; 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 393 

he remains perfectly satisfied and gratified in the course he has taken. 
We are engaged in the discussion of the Bankrupt Law. Mr. Sergeant the 
hist evening delivered a very able argument in I'avour. We are very much 
gratified with the information that the Patroon is to be your Successor, 
and should be much pleased if he should be disposed to join us at Strothers. 
Let me intreat you to write me often and keep me informed what is going 
forward. I am yours sincerely. 

■ Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq. P. M. Albany. Jno. D. Dickinson. 

The Bankrupt Law was " An act to establish an uniform system of Bank- 
ruptcy throughout the United States." This act was not finally passed till 
the first session of the 27th congress in 184L " At the moment the pre- 
sident (John Tyler had signed the Bankrupt act, a stranger burst into his 
room, and entreated the president to give him the pen with which he had 
signed the bill. The request was readily granted, and the stranger took 
it away with him to preserve it as the instrument with which an act of 
glorious beneficence had been executed. It is a triumph of Civilization ; 
of Justice, and of True Liberty." 

Expression of Thanks from the Albany Delegation. 

Albany January 23, 1822. It appearing by the proclamation of his 
Excellency the Governor, that General Solomon Van Rensselaer has re- 
signed his seat in the House of Representatives of the United States ; there- 
fore, 

Resolved Unanimously that the thanks of the Delegates of the City 
and County of Albany be presented to General Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer for his faithful services as their Representative in Congress. And 
that while this Convention regret his resignation, they are gratified in 
knowing that the General Government, in the exercise of an enlightened 
and liberal policy have rewarded his valuable services to his country by 
conferring upon him a respectable office — the duties of which he is emi- 
nently qualified to discharge. 

'' On motion resolved unanimously : That the Hon. Stephen Van 
Rensselaer be and is hereby recommended to the electors of the city 
and county of Albany as a suitable person to represent the said city and 
county in the house of the representatives of the United States. 

By order of the Committee 
William D. Houqhtaling, Chairman. 
W. W. Dougherty, Sec. 

To Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer Present. 

General Stephen Van Rensselaer was elected over Solomon South- 
wick, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Gen. Solomon 
Van Rensselaer, with a majority of 1759. S. Van Rensselaer had 2258 
votes and Southwick 499. 

" It is mentioned as illustrative of the influence formerly exercised by the 
Dutch landed proprietors, that during the first forty years following the 
organization of the federal government under the Constitution (from 1789 
to 1829) the district embracing Albany was represented for twenty-two years 
by gentlemen bearing the name of Van Rensselaer and connected with 
the family of the Patroon, that is to say, Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, 
two years, Killian K. ten years ; Solomon and Stephen ten years in 



the aggregate.' 



50 



394 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Albany January 24tb. " Our bucktail fellow citizens appear to be ex- 
tremely offended at tbe post roaster general's hardihood in presiiniiiig to 
appoint Solomon Van Rensselaer, post master, in tbis city, witbout tbeir 
approbation. Wbat Mr. Meigs can do to appease tbeir wratb I do not 
know. It seems be was duly apprised of Mr. Van Rensselaer's sin of feder- 
alism and oppugnation to tbe present democratic party bere, and tbat be, 
notwithstanding knoicincjh/ and wil/idJj/ made tbe appointment; but wbat 
is worse, tbe beads of departments at Washington gave it their unequivo- 
calsanction. Tbe inference is tbat the administration of the federal govern- 
ment do not consider tbe political creed of tbe bucktails to be perfectly 
orthodox, or else tbat it savors too much of intolerance to meet the liberal 
views and enlightened policy which prevails at Washington. In either case 
the appointment of Mr. Van Rensselaer furnishes a pledge tbat an honest 
difference of opinions on political questions is not an insuperable objection to 
preferment under tbe United States government. Substantially the 
facts in the case are, tbat Mr. Southwick as post-master has fallen several 
thousand dollars in arrears to the department, that every opportunity, 
time and indulgence bad been allowed him to make up tbe defalcation ; 
tbat the patience of tbe department having literally become exhausted 
upon the subject, the post master-general determined to remove him and 
to appoint a successor. Tbe vacancy being known to the delegation in 
congress from New York, twenty- two members from that state, a large 
majority of them republicans^ recom.mended GENERAL Van Rensselaer 
to the post-master-general as a svitable person to fU it. In addition to its 
being the expression of tbe will of the people, made on this occasion 
through tbe representatives in favor of Gen. Van Rensselaer, it was con- 
sidered tbat his appointment was called for on the ground of tbe distin- 
guished military services he has rendered to his country at different 
times." 

A Republican Meeting was held January 25, 1822, at Skinner's 
Mansion House at which tbe venerable John Tayler, lieut. governor 
was called to the chair, upon which he addressed tbe meeting to tbe 
following effect : " My friends and fellow citizens, you have been pleased to 
call me to preside over tbis meeting. In a few months I shall count the 
age of four score, but notwithstanding, I am alive to tbe happiness and 
welfare of my country, it is with sincere regret that I have of late wit- 
nessed meetings in this city to censure certain oflScers of the general 
government for exercising their functions under the constitution. Meetings 
of this kind can have no other effect than to excite and keep alive tbe 
angry feelings in society, which have for some time, to tbe honor of our 
country, been subsiding. Severe censures have been passed on the post 
master general for appointing a deputy in tbis city; and a correspond- 
ence with him and tbe president, on the subject, laid before the public, 
which, in my bumble opinion, does not redound to the credit of those to 
whom tbe people have confided other duties. If appointments made by 
the government, are to pass in review before meetings called to approve 
or censure, then we shall be continually engaged in political contentions, 
and society will never be at rest. I would beseech you to beware of pre- 
tenders for the public good, who have continually the people, the peojyle, in 
tbeir mouths, when ambition and self aggrandizement are the true mo- 
tives for their action. In a republican government, it is the duty of its 
citizens to submit to, and obey tbe laws of their country, and tbe legiti- 
mate acts of tbe government; and if any of them are burdensome and 



Legacy of IIistouical Gleanings. 395 

oppressive, they are to be redressed and removed by means amply provided 
for by tlie constitution of our country. When the late war was declared, 
I was opposed to the measure because 1 thought we were not properly 
prepared to contend with so powerful a nation, and that it might have 
been avoided by negotiation ; but when it was determined by lawful authority 
I gave it my warm and zealous support. Its result was glorious to our 
country, it gave us an eminent rank among the nations of Europe, and 
secured to us a military fame that will be lasting and beneficial." 

General Peter Gansevoort was then appointed secretary. The objects 
of the meeting were then explained by Philip S. Parker, Esq., in a speech 
of some length, in which Mr. Parker stated the very extraordinary 
proceedings of a meeting held at Rockwell's Mansion House, on the 
21st, in which the post master general was in direct terms denounced, 
and the heads of departments of general government unjustly denounced, 
on account of the recent appointment of a deputy post master for this 
city. That meeting had produced so much excitement in the public 
mind, that many of the republicans of the city had been induced to call 
a meeting of the citizens friendly to the general and state adminstrations. 
Mr. Parker remarked with great force on the impropriety of enlisting 
and engaging the general government in the petty party feuds in a state, 
county or town, and he could not believe that any man who would urge 
such a measure and endeavor to draw the heads of department into it, 
could be actuated by friendly motives for the government and its per- 
petuity ; but on the contrary, must be governed by narrow, selfish and 
interested views. That the manifest inconsistency of the vice president 
and the senators from this state, in relation to the same appointment, 
was so great that he was astonished at their conduct. That Mr. King, a 
high toned federalist and ci-devant leader of the party, should object to 
the appointment of General Van Rensselaer as a deputy post master 
because he loas a federalist, is truly remarkable Mr. Parker stated as a 
fact very notorious, in this city and state, that the vice president and 
Mr. Van Buren were zealous and active supporters, and contributed much 
to the election of Mr. King to the senate of the United States, notwith- 
standing he was a federalist? And that very many of that party who 
during the late war, used every exertion to thwart the views and opera- 
tions of the general, as well as the government of this state, while 
General Van Rensselaer was fighting the battles of his country and 
spilling his blood in its defense, having been taken by Mr. Van Buren 
into full confidence, and through his controlling influence over the 
council of appointment of this state, have been appointed to honor- 
able and lucrative offices. That the inconsistency of the vice president 
was still more glaring. During the late war, the same General Van 
Rensselaer held the office of adjutant general ; and at the most import- 
ant crisis, and when his services were considered essential in military 
operations, and as soon as the wounds which he had then received, so 
recently in fighting the battles of his country, would enable him to act, 
he was taken into the vice president's military family (then commauder- 
in- chief of this state) and placed at the head of his personal staff as 
adjutant general, and continued in that office during the vice president's 
administration of the government of this state, and when he accepted the 
office of vice president left the adjutant genei-al in office. Mr. Parker 
observed, that there was one fact in relation to this transaction, which 
rendered the vice president still more inconsistent, and that was, his 



396 Legacy of IIistoiiical Gleanings. 

signing a recommendation in favor of the lion. John Lansing, Jr., as 
deputy post master, in which he declares that Mr. Lansing " is now and 
always has been a firm and inflexible republican" — the vice president 
must have forgotten that a few weeks since, he stated in public debate in 
the convention of this state, that Mr. Lansing was a quid^ and that the 
quids acted in concert with the federalists in opposition to the republican 
party. 

Mr. Parker alluded in a very handsome manner to the valuable services 
rendered by Gen. Van Rensselaer to his country, of his readiness at all 
times to risk his life in defense of its rights and honor; of the severe 
wounds he had received in the two wars in which he had served, and that 
the post master general was actuated by the most noble and honorable 
feelings in preferring such a companion in arms, a brother soldier with 
whom he had served, and one whom he knew to be honest, brave and 
skillful. Mr. Parker said he could not refrain from declaring his gratifi- 
cation that such a man, so deserving (by whatever political name he may 
be distinguished), the hn-o of two !^7«rs, had received from the government 
of his country an appointment, the income of which would enable him to 
support an amiable and numerous family, which in consequence of his 
wounds, at this period of his life, he is otherwise unable to furnish. 

Of the resolutions, among others read to the meeting by the secretary 
and unanimously adopted : Resolved, that the obtrusive and persevering 
interference of the vice president of the United States and the senators 
from the state in the appointment of a deputy post master for this city, 
were not warranted by any importance or influence, which the ofiice con- 
ferred : and was incompatible with oflScial decorum ; and foreign from 
their legitimate duties ; and that it received a merited rebuke in the prompt- 
ness of the measures which were adopted by the general government ; 
and that the subsequent transmission to this city of the communications 
which took place on that occasion by Daniel D. Tompkins and Martin 
Van Buren, for the purpose of exciting dissatisfaction with the national 
administration and producing an angry appeal to the people, was an act 
greatly to be deprecated, as well from its intrinsic demerits, as the per- 
nicious example of insubordination and contumely which it exhibits to the 
community. John Tayler, Chairman. 

Peter Gansevoort, Secretary. 

Federal Meeting on January 2Wi. 

Resolved, That the appointment of the Hon. Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer, our late representative of this city, is highly gratifying to our 
feelings ; that we view it as an evidence of honorable and patriotic senti- 
ments on the part of the administration of the general government, and 
that in our opinion, the manifestation of the same spirit of independence 
in future appointments, will, in a great measure allay the unhappy dis- 
sensions which have heretofore prevailed in our country, will elevate the 
character of our government, and give stability to our republican institu- 
tions. 

Henry B. Davis, Sec'y. Matthew Trotter, Gli'n. 

The nomination of the Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer met their 
cordial approbation and he was so informed by the secretary. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 397 

Hon. John D. Dickinson to Gen. Van Rensxelner. 
Dear Sir, Washington Jany. 20, 1822. 

I ana this evening favored with yours of 22d, including the Argus — 
and shall impatiently wait the arrival of the proceedings of the meeting 
of the Citizens you mention in Support of the Administration — nothing- 
shall he omitted on my part — but I am very anxious to have it in my 
power to show the fallacy of the Statements of the Strength against you. 
I will see the Secretary at War and Col. Johnson in the morning. Van 
Buren has left us and gone with Mr. King to Georgetown to reside. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq., Yours Sincerely. 

Post Master, Albany, N. Y. Jno. D. Dickinson. 

Hon. Walter Patterson to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Sir, Washington Jany. 29, 1822. 

Mr. Calhoun, this morning, requested me to urge your sending your 
resignation to the Speaker, to enable him to supply your place on the 
Military Committee. This gentleman told me that the administration 
cared nothing about the Albany resolutions of Messrs. Savage and Co. 
And Gales said to me, that they were disgraceful to the parties concerned, 
you will please to consider this confidential for the present. The Ratio 
will probably be 40,000 — possibly under that number. Van Buren is 
determined, if possible, to remove the Post Master General, but he has 
not the power, though he possesses the loill. Yours truly &c. 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. W. Patterson. 

John D. Biekinson to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Washington, Feb. 4, 1822. 

We were the last evening favored with the proceedings of the last 
meeting in Albany the address of the venerable Chairman is much ad- 
mired by all persons. I do not think from what I hear on the subject 
that you have any thing to apprehend from the effect of the resolutions 
and remonstrances of your opponents as yet presented — but I very much 
regret that anything should have induced you to delay so long your resigna- 
tion and sending it to the Speaker. It has the appearance, on your 
part, of intentionally aiding the radicals on the military committee, to 
harrass the Secretary at War, and President, by maturing and bringing 
forward measures hostile to the army. This you will however expli- 
citly understand I am perfectly certain would not have been your intention, 
but the circumstance is very generally regretted by your friends. The 
Military Committee have this morning reported a ]3ill similar to the one 
of the last session and are engaged in other measures of a similar import. I 
am asked, " ivhi/ did Mr. V. R. take so irregular a course as to send 
his resignation to the Gov. of New York when the regular and universal 
course is to send it to the Speaker, and for the house to give the informa- 
tion to the Governor." I give it to you as I very frequently receive it. 
Your memorial of Sundry Merchants and the petition of the inhabitants 
and Merchants of your City on the subject of the manufactory of Iron 
have been presented and referred. Let me ask you to write me often and 
keep me informed of the state of party feelings and proceedings in your 
city and command me freely if I can be of service to you here. 

Yours Sincerely, Jno. D. Dickinson. 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer. 



398 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Hon. Joshua Cushman to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Washington Feb. 14, 1822. 

Though I Sincerely regretted your retirement from our House, yet I 
was more than consoled by the reflection, that you were placed in the 
bosom of your family with an office, the emoluments of which would afford 
you an honorable subsistence. The sentiments which I felt and now 
express, were, I presume, responded by your numerous friends in both 
branches of the national Legislature. Every one thought your appoint- 
ment well merited on your part, and judicious on the part of the Go- 
vernment. Judge then of our Surprise, when we learned that certain char- 
acters high in office, on the spot, had been conspiring against you, and that 
assemblages nearer home, were excited to an extraordinary procedure. 

You know that I am a Republican, that I came into public life through 
republican auspices ; and that I am most devoted to republican principles 
of Government — but never did I, for a moment, believe that true, genu- 
ine, substantial Republicanism consisted in depressing men of talents and 
virtue, in a spirit of dictation to the powers that be, or in restraining these 
powers in the regular exercises of their authority. Granting Sir, that 
you have not approved all the measures which have been adopted by all 
our Administrations — yet I have always conceived your mind deeply im- 
bued with the sentiments and maxims of the V/ashington School, which 
being again reduced to practice, are restoring respectability and harmony 
to the nation. Allowing also that, with many patriots and Statesmen, 
you entertained the opinions that the late war might have been avoided — 
yet, when that war was declared, like a loyal citizen, you yielded your 
judgment to that of the constituted Authorities ; and like a brave man, 
you fought and bled, and did all that was in your power to give it success 
and to carry it on with efficiency. Surely greater patriotism hath no 
man than to lay down his life for his country. In reflecting on the treat- 
ment, which you have received, or the excitement caused by your ap- 
pointment, I know not what sensations to indulge, whether of grief or 
indignation. 

I am overwhelmed with sorrow, and sunk under a weight of humilia- 
tion, to find men wearing the name of Republicans, and yet offering 
violence to every civil virtue, and assuming an air of importance which 
would ill become an absolute and perpetual Dictator. 

In the midst of my griefs and painful emotions, I have a solace, arising 
from the belief that Republicans such as these, however they may prevail 
in some sections, are far from being the majority in our country, and that 
the good sense of the people will counteract their designs and defeat their 
machinations. 

I do believe, notwithstanding the clamors of a few, the nation, in general, 
rejoices in your preferment, and also conceives this, and more than this, 
due to your patriotism and valor. You are no stranger to the aspect 
and the bearing of things in our country. Notwithstanding appearances 
of health and soundness, it is to be feared that there is something rotten 
in Denmark. 

When the whole head is sick, the whole heart cannot but be faint ; 
languor seiz'^s on the limbs. At a crisis like the approaching, what could 
be more desirable than to place such a character [De Witt Clinton] as 
New York could furnish at the head of our Republic, to give it new life, 
spirit and vigor ? It is with you to make the comment. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 399 

You arc acquainted with luy feelings — and I beg you to be assured of 
iny most cordial wishes for the health aim felicity of yourself and lamily. 

Joshua Cushman [of Maine] 
lion. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany, State of New York. 

These congratulatory letters were not few or far between, another 
friend writes to him : " I know dear General, you will probably smile, 
whan yuu get my letter that I should write to you, but I know you so 
well that I know wherever you are, you must be respected, and, of course 
possess that degree of influence which is your due. I also know your 
nobleness of nature will ever prompt you, with an unremitting persever- 
ance, to assist your friends; nay, I have known you sacrifice your inte- 
rests, and almost yourself io them, without hope of reward, or expectation 
of even a grateful return. I thank heaven you are now quietly seated in 
a prosperous situation and may live as you please. You are entitled to 
my gratitude as a friend not only, but you' have just claims upon my 
reverence^ as a Patriot also; of whom I feel proud. Our visit to you still 
furnishes many pleasing reflections, and elicits repeated acknowledge- 
ments of your gentlemanly attentions, and the kind hospitality of your 
interesting family. It affords me pleasure to say, that my house will 
ever be open to them all ; and that I shall esteem a visit from yourself, or 
them, either long, or short, at all times, not only a pleasure, but an honor. 
With kindest regards, I must say farewell." 

" We extremely regret to mention that on Saturday night, Feb. 16, 
1822, the dwelling house of General Van Rensselaer, one mile south of 
the city, at Mount Hope, was consumed by fire, with much valuable property 
which was in it at the time. It was the work of incendiaries, who after 
having set fire to the house, broke into the room in which the general's 
son, Rensselaer Van Rensselaer, slept (the rest of the family residing in 
town) with intention no doubt to murder him, but who, being awakened 
by the noise, sprang from his bed, and seizing his musket, placed himself 
in a corner of the room, and with uncommon presence of mind, as the 
villains entered, called out, *' Fire my lads ! " and at the same time dis- 
charging his piece, and rushing upon them, so alarmed them with the 
idea that he had friends with him, that they fled with great precipitation, 
but in passing thi'ough a narrow hall he was knocked down by one of 
them, and lay for some minutes stunned on the floor, where he was found 
by his hired man, who slept in an adjacent apartment and who alarmed 
by the report of a musket, now flew to his aid. The flames were already 
bursting from the house in several directions, and their attention was 
called to saving the property instead of pursuing the villains who had 
disappeared, but whose track through the snow plainly pointed out the 
course they had taken. In addition to the reward of ^500 off"ered in the 
proclamation of his excellency the governor [De Witt Clinton] on the 
occasion ; General Van Rensselaer offers the like reward of S500 for the 
discovery of the person or persons who were concerned in this most ne- 
farious transaction. Tracks of blood were discovered the next morning to 
the turnpike and three men were seen running down the hill by the hired 
men. The object of the attack was probably to gain possession of the 
sum of $500 which he was to pay into the Rank. " 



400 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Tlw Pnlroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Sir, Georgetown Feb. 19, 1822. 

I just received from Mr. Davis a letter announcing the concurrence of a 
Meeting of my fellow Citizens of Albany with the County Convention as 
their representative. 

The letter was deposited in your Box and accidentally I discovered it. 
You will have the goodness to make this apology for me to Mr. Davis, the 
Secretary and my friends for my apparent neglect in not answering the 
communication, it is now too late. Van Buren told me Hammond of 
Cherry Valley had written to him, that the Governor would decline. 

I conjecture he has forwarded to B — his adhesion. 

Pray write to me the news and who will be the next Candidate for the 
Chair. How would the Secretary of the Navy [Smith Thompson] go down ? 
V. Buren thinks and speaks of Judge Yates. 

Offer my respects to all my friends. Your friend, 

Gen. Sol. Van Bensselaer, P. M., Albany. S. V. Rensselaer. 

"In 1822 Governor De Witt Clinton declining a reelection, he was 
succeeded by Joseph C. Yates. During this year (1822), the constitution 
of the state having been revised by a convention at Albany the preceding 
year, was accepted by the people in January. During the summer of 1822 
the yellow fever made great depredations in New York city. From the 
13th day of July to the 2d of November, twelve hundred and thirty-six 
persons died. On the 24th of August, the city represented the appearance 
of a town besieged. From day break till night, one line of carts, contain- 
ing boxes, merchandise and effects, were seen moving towards Greenwich 
village or other country places." 

Joseph Ddaplaine to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Philadelphia, Feb. 28, 1822. 

I take the liberty of soliciting the favour of you to furnish me within 
a few weeks, should you have leisure, a very brief account of such subjects, 
in relation to your Section of our country as you feel interested to see in 
the picture of the U. States, and for which I shall give you credit in the 
publication, unless you direct otherwise. Deriving no emolument from 
this work, I respectfully request you to have the goodness to favour me so 
much as to transmit whatever I may be honoured with, by such convey- 
ance as will be attended with no expense. Should you decline giving at- 
tention to the Subject, I trust you will have the kindness to place it into 
the hands of some competent individual. Albany merits a very particular 
account in the work. It gives me pleasure to mention, i\\3it your Portrait 
in my Gallery is recognized by all who know you. With every Sentiment 
of respect, I am, dear Sir, Your obedt. Svt. 

Joseph Delaplaine. 

Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Post Master, Albany. 

The above mentioned portrait was the most strikingly correct likeness 
ever taken of Gen. Van Rensselaer, and for many years was in Philadel- 
phia, but subsequently purchased by P. T. Barnum, Esq. Different 
members of Gen. Van Rensselaer's family, when in New York, repeatedly 
tried to obtain possession of this valuable picture, but they were told by 
the proprietor that " money could not buy it." 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 401 

A few years since, when " Btirnum's Museum " was destroyed by fire, 
unfortunately this cherished portrait, with the rest of his truly valuable 
collection, was reduced to ashes. 

" Washinjiton, March 12, 1822. A new member, to wit: from the 
state of New York — Stephen Van Rensselaer, elected to supply the 
vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Solomon Van Rensselaeei, 
appeared, produced his credentials, and took his seat ; the oath to 
support the constitution of the United States being first administered to 
him by the speaker." 

" The venerable Stephen Van Rensselaer is a man whose head is now 
whitened by the frosts of many winters, who has held many important 
trusts, both in the general and state governments, with credit to himself 
and honor to the state, and a man whom, in the most bitter party times, 
the voice of disapprobation has never followed from any of the public 
stations, to which he had been elevated by the confidence of his fellow 
citizens : a man of the most unblemished character, whose purse strings 
have never been known to be drawn against the cries of want and distress : 
a man whose extreme liberality has long since become proverbial, and is 
universally known throughout the country as the most efficient protector 
and supporter of the arts and sciences, and whose name is identified with 
many of the most valuable seminaries of learning in our state : and is in 
fact the most unexceptionable man whom our state aflfords, whose judg- 
ment and discretion have never been called in question until a party of 
Anti-Masons sought to empty their vials of wrath upon his head and to 
immolate upon their altar because he announced his acceptance of the 
office of grand master. General Van Rensselaer was now fifty-eight years 
of age, and the Almanac of life, in the progressive stage of his existence, 
showed this to be the month of September, when the season of labor is 
nearly over. The harvest of life is gathered in, and the days are consi- 
derably shortened, and his toil is ended." 

Reuben Tower to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Sangerfield, Oneida Co., March 25, 1832. 

A week ago to-day a man came to my Distillery and offered to work for 
me. Wishing to employ help I set him to work at $10 a month to work 
for a year if he suited me. In the course of the week I found he would 
drink to excess, and at the end of the week I dismissed him. Since he 
went away, from what he told my workmen I am pretty well persuaded 
that he may have been wounded in setting fire to your house and other 
acts of violence on your son. He called his name George Edge; said he 
" lived when at home within J of a mile of your house that was burnt," 
and that his " wife now kept a tavern," that he " had been from home 
about 5 weeks." That he had been on the Delaware river, and went to 
the great bend on the Susquehanna and from thence he came up the Che- 
nango to this place. His having left home about the time your house 
was burnt and having straggled about in this manner raised the suspicion 
in my mind for he is a very suspicious person. He professes to be a 
miller by trade, is very well clad — indeed his clothes are better considera- 
bly than most of people who labor for a living. He is a stout built robust 
looking fellow about 5 ft. 10 inches in height of light complexion, said 
he was born in England. Although a stranger to you I am induced to 
give you this information, it may and it may not amount to much. You 
51 



402 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

probably may reccollect who I am, when I relate to you that in 1812, 
when you went from Sackett's Harbor to Oswego in conopauy with (Jen. 
Stephen Van Rensselaer in a clam-shell of a boat, that I then had the" 
care of the guard of about ^ dozen men who went with you. We went 
ashore at the mouth of Salmon liiver late at night and your Hon. friend 
John Lovett slept in an Oven. 

I am Dear Sir, yours Very Respectfully, 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq., P. M. Albany. Reuben Tower. 

TJie Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington, April 9, 1822. 

The reason of my locating myself at Georgetown was the Company : 
Otis — Mills — Gorham — Mercer — Warfield — all very fine fellows and 
the exercise I should be obliged to take in consequence of the distance 
would contribute to my health. Van Buren, I understood, was at 
Strothers, but found him at Bradly's contrary to my expectations, and the 
mess would not consent to my removing. 

I made your friendly regards to Cols. Williams and Johnson ; they 
often speak of you and hope you will discover the incendiaries. Col. 
Williams is in favor of Crawford, he is the favorite at present being a 
Virginian ; that State will be in his favor unless they see a prospect for 
Clay as President. V. Buren was, when he arrived here, a Calhoun man, 
but he is at present, I fancy, in Crawford's interest. Skinner is here, 
they are assailing him and suspect they will change him. Sterling tells 
me, that the Pennsylvania members are generally for Calhoun, but their 
Senators are for Crawford and I think Findley will bring them over; they 
talk of Lowrie for Governor. Governor Clinton I think is rising in 
public estimation the more they appreciate his character. I have en- 
deavoured to remove their objections; they represent him as an intriguer 
and as dangerous a man as Burr was. If he retires a few years, his weight 
of Character will be acknowledged and he will rise. 

Let me hear from you the news as often as you have leisure. 

Your friend, 

S. V. Rensselaer. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M. Albany, N. Y. 

Jiidge Conkling to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Canajoharie Sept. 27, 1822. 

The friendly interest which you manifested when I last saw you in 
Albany in regard to my re-election to Congress, induces me to take this 
early occasion to apprise you of the nomination of Mr. John W. Cady as 
my successor, at a meeting of our delegates on yesterday in Johnstown. 
Considering what passed between you and Mr. Daniel Cady at the August 
term, you will, I think, notwithstanding your thorough acquaintance with 
the nature of mankind, be a little suprised at this result. These gentle- 
men are kinsmen and partners. There was a strong disposition among 
our friends to nominate xMr. Daniel Cady for Senator, but on being spoken 
to a week or two ago upon the subject, he declined the honor; and it may 
perhaps increase your surprise to learn, that the motive ascribed to him 
for so doing, was a desire to favor the views of my rival. In this how- 
ever, great injustice may have been done him — for it is nothing less than 
the imputation of gross hypocrisy, practiced not toward you alone, but 
to some of my friends in this county also. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 403 

What I have said of him therefore, I desire that you will, for the pres- 
ent, consider couiidetitial. As it regards my own feelin<;s in this matter, 
I am happy to have it in my power to say, that I am not mortilicd, nor 
much disappointed. I have known for some time that Mr. Cady was 
making great exertions in different parts of the county to ensure his suc- 
cess, and delegates have been selected with a special view to that object. 
For myself, I early determined to abstain altogether, from any such inter- 
ference, even in my own town, and have insisted upon the same course of 
conduct on the part of my friends ; and I have the satisfaction to be well 
assured, that public sentiment, could it have been brought to act spontan- 
eously, would have produced a different result. Mr. Fish is nominated 
for Senator, and, what I am highly gratified with, Mr. Huntington for 
Lieutenant Governor. It is understood that he will not decline, and that 
his nomination will be promptly concurred in, in several other counties. 
With much esteem and respect, I remain 

dear Sir, Your friend and humble Servt, 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. A. Conkling. 

Secretary of State to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Sir, Department of State, Washington, 2d November, 1822. 

I have forwarded to you a Copy of the Additional Census of Alabama, 
in virtue of an Act of Congress of the 7th of March last ; the receipt of 
which you will be pleased to acknowledge. I have the honour to be, very 
respectfully. Sir, Your obedient and very humble servant, 

Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esq., Albany, N. Y. J. Q. Adams. 

" Hon. John Quincy Adams is one of the intellectual prodigies whose 
character distinguishes Eras of time. A hundred years hence the Ame- 
rican annals will show only two names, Benjamin Franklin and George 
Washington, brighter than that of the 'old man eloquent,' the illustrious 
statesman. The tender little prayer, ' Now I lay me down to sleep,' 
the first one taught John Quincy Adams by the mother whose memory 
was so dear to him to the last, was repeated by him every night when he 
went to bed ; and he continued to do so till the day of his death." 

Judge Van Ness to Gen. Van Rensselaer and Dr. Bay. 

My dear friends. New York Monday Dec. 30th, 1822. 

This year is about drawing to a close, and I wish to terminate it ia 
peace with all mankind if I can. I wrote you a letter some time ago con- 
taining no doubt many expressions highly improper, cruel and unjust; 
the only atonement I can make is to ask your pardon and forgiveness. 

My Wife, myself and servant (by the advice of Dr. Post) sail for 
Charleston on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday depending on wind 
and weather. If you should become reconciled to me let me hear from 
you both every once in a while. May God enable you, may God suffer you 
to enjoy many happy returns of the season. Your sincere friend. 

W. W. Van Ness. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer and William Bay, Albany. 

The above letter was the last epistolary record we find of this noble 
man. •' William W. Van Ness was born at Claverack, in the county of 
Columbia, in 1776, and died at Charleston, South Carolina, on Tiiursday, 
27th of February, 1823, in the forty-eighth year of his age. 



404 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

" He studied law with John Bay, Esq., of Claverack. (His son, Dr. Wil- 
liam Bay, married a sister of Judge Van Ness. There was a slij^ljt mis- 
understanding between the gentlemen.) Mr. Van Ness was liccn.sed an 
attorney at the age of twenty-one years; was elected to the assembly in 
1805 and in 1807 was appointed a judge of the supreme court, where 
he officiated about fifteen years. He possessed talents and acquirements 
fitted to adorn the most exalted stations. At the close of his judicial 
labors he opened a law-ofiice in tlie city of New York, but his health soon 
declined, and he traveled south for the recovery of his health. Alas, it 
was in vain, the hand of death fixed upon his vitals, and he breathed his 
last sigh far from the scenes of his triumphs and delights, the endearments 
of home, and the sympathetic condolence of his weeping friends, in a land 
of strangers, yet soothed by the ministrations of his gentle wife. 

"Only those that were intimately acquainted with his character, who 
knew the magnanimity of his soul, the dignity and purity of his public 
deportment, and the amiable virtues of his private life, can fully appreciate 
his worth. It is only those who have listened with admiration at his elo- 
quence, who have been astonished at the vast comprehension of his mind 
on the bench, or have hung with rapture upon hi.s words in the senate, 
can tell the extent and brilliancy of his talents. He was beloved and ad- 
mired by Hamilton. That great and immortal man was heard to say, 
that he ever derived relief and pleasure from association with him in pro- 
fessional avocations. Commanding indeed, must have been that eloquence, 
great and comprehensive that intellect, which could insure to a youth a 
parallel rank with the eminent Hamilton. As an advocate, equally dis- 
tinguished for the splendor of his genius and strength of judgment, be 
stood at an early age in the front rank of his profession Discriminating 
in the elicitation of truth, no sophistry could withstand, no art elude his 
intuitive penetration. Careless of the acquisition of wealth, he left little 
of it to his bereaved family. But he has left to them and to posterity, a 
legacy more valuable than riches, more durable than marble. 

" His remains were brought from Charleston and buried in the church 
yard at Claverack, a plain, simple stone marks the spot where his sacred 
relics sleep. The memory of his virtues will long be fresh and yrcen ia 
the midst of us. 

Judge Alfred Conkling to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington, Jany. 11, 1823. 

The more I have reflected upon the subject of fixing my future resi- 
dence in your city, the more unwilling I have become to abandon my pro- 
ject of doing so. But I entertain so many doubts about the expediency 
or rather safety of the measure, that I have become very anxious to learn 
from you the result of the inquiries you so obligingly offered to make in 
regard to it. I am particularly desirous of ascertaining whether a part- 
nership would be agreeable to Mr. Parker. [Philip S. Parker.] As it re- 
spects Mr. Hammond, I have recently received a letter from him, in 
which he mentioned some circumstances relating to his views, that render 
it improbable that any such connexion will be formed between him and 
me. If therefore you have not already sounded him upon the subject, 
you need not give yourself the trouble of doing so. But let me hear from 
you my dear Sir, as soon as convenient. We are beginning to look with 
great interest for news from Albany, I hope we will receive the Gover- 
nor's Message tomorrow. It was very much in character for General 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 405 

Root to insist upou commencing the session on the first of January 
in opposition to the chief justice. The General, 1 suppose, will bo for 
radical measures, and if his influence should be predominant in the Senate 
I think there is reason to apprehend much mischief from it. 

Before this reaches you, you will probably have heard of the nomina- 
tion of Mr. Clinton on the 24rth of last montli by the citizens of Cincin- 
nati, at a meeting of which the Mayor of that city was chairman. They 
have given a very able and well written exposition of tlieir reasons for 
preferring Mr. Clinton to the other candidates, which I have just read. 

Cannon's favorite bill, providing for the encampment of the militia offi- 
cers, after two days debate is laid upon the table, where I think its sleep 
will be eternal. Thus far things have gone on in our house smoothly and 
well. No calls for information for the purpose of implicating presidential 
candidates and less idle talk. You will be gratified to learn that our friend 
Mr. Colden [Cadwallader D. Colden], though still indiscreet, occupies 
much more advatitageous ground than he did last session. Mr. Wood 
[Silas Wood] is as indefatigable as ever and talks as much about LaSale, 
Clavigero &c. Tracy [Albert H. Tracy] still insists that there is no 
honesty in the world, and nothing worthy of ambition. General Cook re- 
turned a few days since from a visit to the Rip-Raps and has become a 
convert. With perfect truth, I remain dear Sir, 

Your friend and hum. Servt., 

A. CONKLING. 

Solomon Van Rensselaer Esqr., P. M. Albany, N. Y. 

" Upon the expiration of his term (to the seventeenth congress in which 
his recognized talents gave him honorable rank) the Hon. Alfred Conkling 
removed to the city of Albany and engaged in the practice of his profes- 
sion. It was while residing here in 1825 that President John Quincy 
Adams nominated and the senate unanimously confirmed him as judge of 
the United States district court for the northern district of New York. 
This office he held fur more than a quarter of a century. His strong judi- 
cial faculties, his high sense of honor and ample culture well fitted him 
for it." 

Hon. Henry Clay to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, W^ashingtou March 18, 1823. 

I take the liberty of inclosing to your care a letter for Gen. Porter, not 
knowing whether he may not have left Albany, in which case I pray you 
to have the goodness to give it the proper destination to reach him. 

I seize the occasion to assure you of my continued esteem and regard 
for you, and to say that T have derived great pleasure from learning that 
your friendly sentiments towards me, inspired during our mutual service in 
the H. of R. remain unabated. 

Be pleased to say to the Patroon that I hope he found on his arrival at 
home, every thing as he would have it. 

I am faithy & Cordially yr. ob, Servt. 

H. Clay. 
Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer P. M. Albany, New York. 

It was during this session that the resolution, introduced by the Hon. 
Daniel Webster, was discussed, and urged by him in one of the ablest 
speeches ever pronounced in congress, providing for the recognition of 
the independence of Greece. It received the most cordial support of Mr. 



406 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Clay, but failed of success. " Although between Mr. Clay and President 
Monroe, upon many important questions, a serious difference of opinion ex- 
isted, he had been offered a seat in the Cabinet and a carte blanche of all 
the foreign missions. He declined all these proffered honors, from a set- 
tled conviction that he could be better employed for his country in con- 
gress. James Monroe was a kind man, and a safe one. He might possi- 
bly have been elected president for the third time had he suffered himself 
to be a candidate. His public ambition was gratified by seeing his coun- 
trymen prosperous, at peace, and happy, while as for private ambition he 
had none at all." 

An interesting reminiscence of this time was the Opening of the Erie 
CANAfi. " Governor De Witt Clinton is the only highly responsible politi- 
cal man who can justly lay claim to be the parent of the project. For 
many years he was persecuted as a visionary projector ; he became a strong 
partizan in favor of the Erie canal, and it is owing to the bold stand which 
he took in favor of this great enterprise that his popularity in a measure 
was owing. In the summer of 1810, he went on a tour, with other com- 
missioners, for exploring the route of this work. The great enterprise 
was commenced July 4, 1817, and finished October 26, 1825, a canal of 
363 miles long, built in eight years, and so eminently successful has it 
proved, that it has given rise to a multitude of similar works. To Gov. 
Clinton was assigned the compliment of removing the first earth of the 
excavation. 

" When the eastern section of the canal was completed ; the passage of 
the first boats, from the Genesee river at the west, and from Whitehall 
at the head of Lake Champlain on the north, into the tide water of the 
Hudson river, was celebrated at Albany October 8, 1823, with some cere- 
mony. Large committees, from New York city and other places on the 
canal route, attended at Albany on this interesting and memorable occasion. 
The first boat which entered the lock was the DeWitt Clinton ; having 
,on board, the governor [De Witt Clinton], the mayor [Charles E. Dudley], 
and corporation of Albany, canal commissioners with many other citizens. 
Another boat followed filled with ladies. 

" The cap-stone of the lock was laid with masonic ceremonies, by the 
fraternity who appeared in great numbers, robed in very grand costume. 
The waters of the Genesee river. Lake Champlain and of the ocean were then 
mine-led, after whicli the lock gates were opened and the ' De Witt Clinton ' 
majestically sunk upon the bosom of the Hudson. 

" After the military and civic procession the day was concluded with a 
banquet at which there was ' the feast of reason and the flow of soul.' 
These festivities were concluded with a splendid ball on Thursday, Octo- 
ber 9th ; on which occasion the grand military band from West Point 
officiated to the manifest delight of the fair sex. 

" The entire community are now fully satisfied that the funds subscribed 
for the purpose of cutting a canal, have been a profitable investment. 
The difference of level and the face of the country were such as to justify 
a belief that the opening of this canal will not be less practicable than 
useful ; and they now anxiously look forward to its entire completion, 
with a well founded hope, that this water communication for conveying 
produce to market will be a vast acquisition to the commerce of this State. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 407 

M Thayer to Gen. Van Itensselaer. 

Sir, Military Academy, West Point, Oct. 3, 1823. 

I have had the honor to receive your polite invitation to a Dinner and 
ball on the Sth of October in celebration of the passage of the first boats 
from the Erie and Champlain Canals into the Hudson, and regret that it 
will not be in my power to be present on this interesting and memorable 
occasion. The Military Band will proceed to Albany agreeably to your 
request on the evening of the 7th instant. 

I am very respectfully, Your obed't Servt. 

Major General Solomon Van liensselaer, Albany. S. Thayer. 

Oocernor Van Ness to Qen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Burlington, Vermont, Nov. 12, 1823. 

I have for some time past had it in view to write you on the delay of 
the letters between New York and this place, but owing to hurry of busi- 
ness and absence from home, it has hitherto been neglected. Letters 
sent from New York for Burlington, are generally from 6 to 8 days by the 
way, when, as it appears to me, they should in no instance be over 4 days. 
I have thought the delay was occasioned at your office, and in this way, that 
the letters which arrive from New York at your office on Tuesday evenings 
are not forwarded to this place by Wednesday morning's mail, but lay 
over till Friday morning ; and the same with those that arrive Thurs- 
days and Sundays, that is, that the former lay over till Monday morning, 
and the latter till Wednesday morning. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I 
have not been able to account for the delay in any other way. Being 
perfectly satisfied however, that if it is in your power to remedy the diffi- 
culty, it will be cheerfully and promptly done,] I have taken the liberty to 
address you on the subject. 

I have lately been informed that your General — Stephen Van Rensse- 
laer not long since stated to a Gentleman from this State that the Ver- 
monters did not know the Dutchman they had elected, or were about to 
elect their Governor, but that they would find him out. As I have never 
injured the General in thought, word or deed, and have not even the 
honour of a personal acquaintance with him, I am bound to suppose that, 
in making these insinuations, he was governed by other than personal 
motives, and if he thinks he can support any fact giving a difi'erent com- 
plexion to my character from what it now bears to the people of this State, 
I have no objections to his making the attempt. I shrink from no in- 
vestigation of my public or private character. 

I am with respect and esteem. 

Your Obt. Servt. 

The Hon. Sol. Van Rensselaer. C. P. Van Ness. 

Cornelius P. Van Ness was a younger brother of Hon. W. P. Van Ness. 
" In 1806 he emigrated to the state of Vermont and fixed his residence at 
St. Albans, about twenty miles from the Canada frontier ; he there 
commenced the study of law. In 1809 he removed to Burlington, the 
largest and most important town in the state of Vermont, for the purpose 
of pursuing his profession. In 1818, he was elected a member of the 
general assembly of the state for the town of Burlington, and was re- 
elected the three following years. During the last year of liis legislative 
service (1821), he was appointed justice of the supreme court of the 
state of Vermont j this office he held for two years, when he was elected 



408 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

governor ; lie filled the executive chair three jears, having been twice 
reelected. In 1826, he declined a reelection and returned to the 
practice of his profession. In the year 1829, he was appointed, by 
President Jackson, minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary to 
Spain. After an absence of ten years from his native country, he re- 
turned to Vermont. Mr. Van Ness possessed talents of a high order, and 
be occupied for a long time a large space in the public mind ; he had a 
celebrated and glorious career." 

Tlie Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington, Dec. 1, 1823. 

We assembled this morning and expected a contested Election for 
Speaker's chair. Taylor behaved like a man, and when the Clerk called 
for the Ballots for Speaker he made a Speech and declined, he would 
Lave been elected on the second Ballot but chose to disgrace Barbour / 
presume. I have had no conversation with him on his declining. Poor 
Barbour had only 42 Votes. Pennsylvania agreed unanimously to vote 
on the Second Ballot for Taylor. Our State generally for Clay, the former 
officer was elected unanimously. Pray inform the Governor of Vermont, 
with whom I have no personal acquaintance that his informant is mistaken. 
I never heard any imputation on his Character, and rather thought well 
of the Vermonters for their liberality in electing a Dutchman, of which 
I was proud. I have no recollection of ever conversing on the subject. 

Many enquiries are made with respect &c., for you. Love to your 
family and be assured of my esteem. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany. ' S. V. Rensselaer. 

" In the summer of 1823 Hon. Henry Clay was reelected to congress, 
without opposition ; and on taking liis seat, upon the first ballot he was 
chosen speaker — receiving 139 votes, while Hon. P. P. Barbour, his op- 
ponent, received but 42. It was at this session that the recognition of 
South American independence and the revision of the tarift", in the passage 
of which Mr. Clay had taken a prominent and most efficient part, were 
efi"ected and with it the establishment of the protective system." 

Oovernor Van Ness to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Burlington December 16th, 1823. 

Your letter of the 27 tb of November was duly received, and would have 
been sooner noticed, but for the hurry of some particular business. The 
Hon''''= W. C Bradly a member of Congress from this State, and now at 
Washington, gave me the information of what Gen^ Stephen V. R. has 
said of me, though the remarks were not made to Mr. Bradly but to a 
Gentleman who repeated them to him. The Gen' may therefore be 
referred to Mr. Bradly. 

You may rest assured, my dear Sir — that the circumstances of former 
days to which you allude in your letter, have never been forgotten by me, 
and that the feelings which you express are fully reciprocated. I have 
always taken an interest in your welfare, though we have had but little 
personal intercourse ; and I felt a peculiar anxiety for your success pend- 
ing the contest for the office you now hold. And if it should ever be 
my fortune to be placed in a situation in which I can render you any 
service, you will not find me backward in proving the Sincerity of these 
professions. Yours very cordially. 

The Hon. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany. C. P. Van Ness. 



Legacy of Historical GleanincxS. 409 

" Tlicre is no wound so deadly as tliat which calumny inflicts : there is 
no curse more bitter than that which rests upon the dcfamer of innocence. 
Tliey who can invent or repeat a lie to injure another's tame, are the basest 
and most execrable of human beings, because you never can cope with it." 

Tha Patrooii to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Sir, Washington Dec. 27, 1823. 

I enclose the letter from your friend and shall give myself no further 
trouble on the subject. I have had an unpleasant interview with the 
Post Mast. Genl., he regrets the occurrence and has promised me not to 
report without giving us notice. You will recollect that 1 wrote to you 
last winter that Crawford would be the Democratic Candidate and would 
succeed. I think so still. I have taken no part and have mentioned the 
reason to Calhoun and Clay. I am in the confidence of all the Candidates. 
I took an active part for Clay at the opening of the Session and we suc- 
ceeded, for which he has manifested his good will on several occasions. 
I am too old to engage in any active Electioneering business. I have 
worked against the Stream till I am exhausted and am now disposed to 
glide with the stream. I should advocate Mr. Clinton if I saw any pros- 
pect of success, but as he is out of the question here, I am satisfied with 
either of the Candidates. Crawford is still ill, and it is doubtful if he is 
ever a well man again • he is confined to his room and often to his bed j 
his eyes are inflamed. His Physicians have changed his treatment and 
if that fails, his friends will despond. I saw him last week, he looks 
wretched and emaciated but speaks strong. New England it is supposed 
will support Calhoun if Adams is out of the question. Pennsylvania will 
go for Jackson, efi'orts are making for Crawford by the Glover nor and Gal- 
latin to induce the Members to attend a Caucus to nominate Crawford. A 
nomination will be made next month or the beginning of February : it 
is reported here that Gov. Yates will be ofi"ered the Vice President's chair 
if he does not recommend an election by the people. Let me hear from 
you often. Conkling requested me to mention him with his respects. J. 
Williams also ; he speaks frequently of having written to you and received 
no answer. I am in great favor with all your friends. 

Ever yours Sincerely 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany. S. V. Rensselaer. 

J. B. Mower to Oen. Van Uensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Washington, Jany. 5, 1824. 

Will you give me a letter of introduction, to your friend Richard M. 
Johnson, Senator from Kentucky ? I want one from you, because you and 
I, are New Yorkers. I shall have one from J. C. Calhoun also. I want 
to be well acquainted with Colonel Johnson. The talk here yesterday 
was, that Crawford was going to die (he is better to day), that should he 
die, then Mr. Adams would receive the benefit of Mr. Crawford's death. 
The Caucus is dead, and you may say so as strong as you please. If the 
Legislature passes the law (electoral) De Witt Clinton is a strong man, 
you may depend. Look out for Combinations. Y'^our friend. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. J. B. Mower. 

Lewis Williams to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington, Jany. 13, 1824. 

I thank you sincerely for your letter with its inclusure received on 
yesterday by the mail. New York and Virginia ought to resist the com- 
52 



410 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

bination among the small States to throw the election into the House of 
Representatives. If the small States determine to bring things tu that 
issue, the larger States owe it to themselves to prevent it if possible. 
From all the indications received I think Mr. Crawford's election as sure 
as any event of the kind can be. In Congress he has twice as many 
friends as any other candidate. But it is the object of his opponents to 
distract and divide the Electoral vote, so as to defeat him if possibly they 
can. But I trust they will be disappointed in this calculation. Every 
man acquainted with Crawford knows his worth, and as you are among 
the number of his acquaintances you will be able to correct many of the 
falsehoods and misrepresentations which have gone abroad. I am glad 
to be able to say to you that Crawford is getting well fast. He will be 
able to go abroad shortly. Your friend truly and Sincerely, 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. Lewis Williams. 

J. B. Mower to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington City, Feb. 6, 1824. 

I am favored with your polite letter to Col. Johnson and I thank you 
for it. That part of the President's Message respecting ' Postmasters,' 
■will not even get into the new bill, give yourself no trouble my friend, 
2/ou are safe. Do inform me about the law, my letters and those of 
others, are very opposite. For instance, Root, Peter B. Porter, and Gen. 
McClure all write here, that the Electoral law will not pass; mine say it 
v?ill. I have m^ /ears. It is confidently asserted here. Sir, that General 
Jackson will be the strongest man at the Convention at Harrisburg on 
the 4th of March. Your friend J. B. Mower. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. 

" The presidential election was now near at hand, and very early, pre- 
ferences had been avowed for particular candidates in various parts of the 
country. The legislatures of several states had brought forward their 
favored ones as competitors." 

The Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington Feb. 15, 1824. 

I give the result of the miserable Caucus which was held last night in 
the Hall of the Rep. Chamber; the Gallery was crowded and overflowing. 
"When the Ballot was declared there were heavy groans in the Gallery I 
was told. What eff"ect it will have in our State among the legislature 
write to me. Jackson gains ground daily. Your friend Cocke did not 
attend although in favor of Crawford, he is denounced already. Judge 
Ruggles in the Chair. E. Calling, Sec. 16 o^ our delegation attended. 
President — Crawford 62 votes : Adams 2 : Macon 1 : Jackson 1. 
Vice-President — Gallatin 57 : Root 2 : Adams 2 : Rush 1 : Lowrie 1. 

Your friend, S. V. Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Washington Feb. 19, 1824. 

I am sorry to hear that you are suffering from your exertions at the 
Fire, and am glad you succeeded, and hope you will soon be convalescent. 
I forwarded to you through the Post Office the Post Office Bill and will 
advise you of its progress, it is committed to a Com'tee of the whole. 
The new Tariff Bill, will occupy the house for a week or two longer. 1 
believe there is no disposition to remove you by your old opponent. We 
arc all waiting anxiously to hear what effect the Caucus will have in the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 411 

N. York Legislature. It is expected Crawford will be nominated by them. 
Mr. Clay's friends expect the same ; poor Calhoun it is thought will have 
to withdraw if Pennsylvania goes for Jackson, who it is said has a ma- 
jority of the nomiuatory com'tee to meet the 4th of March at Harrisburgh. 
Write to me the news — if any occurs. Your friend. 

Gen. Sol. Van Kensselaer, Albany, N. Y. S. V. Rensselaer. 



CHAPTER XIX. 
Visit of General the Marquis de La Fayette. 

General Orders. 

" Navy Department, 17th August, 1824. 

" The President of the United States directs that General La Fayette 
when he arrives in this country, be received at all the United States ' 
Naval Stations, and by all the United States' ships in commission, with 
honors due to the highest rank in our service." 

In the year 1834 great preparations were making for some important 
event, and the cry — "■ La Fai/ette's coming — La Fayette scorning" — 
was echoed far and wide, and I — a little girl not yet seven years old — 
was as much interested as any one to see the revolutionary hero, the 
valorous champion for our liberty. General the Marquis de La Fayette 
had been invited to visit the United States as the guest of the nation, and 
a fine ship of war placed at his disposal. The invitation was accepted, 
but he had selected an ordinary sailing vessel — -the ship Cadmus. 
Captain Allyn, with commendable respect, had given up his freight and 
passengers for the better accommodation of La Fayette. After a pleasant 
passage of 31 days the vessel arrived at the quarantine ground, New York, 
on Saturday evening August 14th, and arrangements were made for a 
grand public entry into that city on Monday; when he was received with 
the most enthusiastic demonstrations of affection, by a grateful people who 
remembered, that 48 years before he had fought by the side of Gen. 
Washington. The corporation had chartered the Chancellor Livingston 
steam boat to receive the general, together with three other steam boats 
dressed elegantly with flags and streamers ; they were all filled with ladies 
and gentlemen, and each boat had a fine band of music. On board the 
Chancellor was the superior band from West Point, which Capt. Center 
brought down. The general was accompanied by his son, George 
Washington La Fayette — a very fine looking man somewhat advanced 
in years — and his secretary. 

The most interesting sight was the reception of the welcome visitor by 
his old companions in arms. Col. Marinus Willett, now in his eighty-fiftii 
year — General Pierre Van Cortlaudt, Gen. Clarkson, Col. Richard Varick, 
Col. Piatt, Col. Trumbull, and several members of the society of Ciuoin- 



412 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

nati. He embraced them all affectionately and remembered all with 
woudei'ful precision ; it was a re-union of a long separated family. A 
splendid ball was given in the theatre and every honor heaped upon the 
nobleman, who was particularly gratified with his visit at the navy yard 
and other engaging local sites. He called on the widow of General Ham- 
ilton ; with her to dwell upon the recollections of his public services and 
condole upon the loss sustained in his death by his country. There is a 
tender delicacy and character in such marks of attention, which render 
them truly valuable, also most creditable to heart and mind. " On Friday 
20th, the general left New York about nine o'clock in the morning for Bos- 
ton, in a coach drawn by four beautiful white horses. In the coach was his 
son and suite ; he was accompanied by four other carriages and a military 
escort. He announced his intention of returning to New York during the 
early part of September, and in a few days after he will proceed to Phila- 
delphia, extending his tour south and to the far west. John H. Wendell 
and Matthew Gregory, two revolutionary patriots, have been appointed by 
the corporation of Albany, to repair to New York, and deliver to La 
Fayette, a letter of invitation from the common council to visit Albany." 

Col. Elliott to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Albany Aug., 24, 1824. 

The Marquis De La Fayette is expected here early next week. Mr. 
John Townsend one of the Committee of the Corporation, desired me to 
say to you, that you were much wanted in making the Arrangements — 
the Citizens are to meet for this purpose to-morrow Evening. 

Yours Sincerely, 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer. Robt. Elliott. 

The mayor, Ambrose Spencer, received a letter from Gen. La Fayette, 
accepting the invitation of the common council to visit Albany and stated 
that " in a few days after September 5th he will have the gratification of 
oflFering to the citizens of this place his high respects and affectionate 
gratitude." Great preparations were accordingly made to do him proper 
honor. 

" AJhany September 13, 1824. Major Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer, 
having been requested to act as marshal of the day, appointed for render- 
ing honors to Gen. La Fayette, the illustrious guest of the nation, and the 
uniform friend of liberty, cordially accepts of the ofllice, and appoints 
Majors C. Humphrey and John 0. Cole, his assistants on this occasion." 

General La Fayette in company with a large party of friends left New 
York on Tuesday, September 14th, and had a most enjoyable entertainment 
throughout his entire trip coming up the Hudson river. At West Point 
he was received by the commandant of the post. Col. Thayer, and re- 
mained during the entire day. The passage up the river from New York 
to Newburgh was interesting beyond all description; every mile of it was 
consecrated by some revolutionary event. General La Fayette pointed 
out the house occupied by Arnold and related all the circumstances of liis 
detestable treason and escape. 

" After leaving Poughkeepsie the boat proceeded a few miles, and at ten 
A. M., the party from it, landed and rode to the mansion of General 
Morgan Lewis, where refreshments were received. At twelve o'clock, on 
returning to the boat, they found baskets of choice grapes and peaches 
which the ladies of Governor Lewis's household had sent. At Kinsrston 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 413 

Colonel Harry Livingston came on board to greet his old friend. At 
Rhinebeck, a bouquet of beautiful flowers and a basket of delicious La 
Fayette peaches were sent on board for the General by Mrs. Thompson, 
attentions were constantly received. At Clermont a splendid reception 
awaited General La Fayette. Robert L. Livingston, l^lsq., had been 
several weeks preparing to give the general a most munificeut entertain- 
ment, and as the steamer approached, Mr. Livingston stood upon his 
wharf to receive the hero, who fared sumptuously. He also attended a 
very brilliant ball which was graced by the presence of Mrs. Richard 
Montgomery and many of his oldest friends. At Catskill and Hudson 
the general landed amid a roar of cannon and the heartiest cheers of 
assembled thousands. Extensive preparations had been made at Albany 
for the welcome of the visitor by daylight, but owing to the low state of 
the tide the steam boat could make but slow advance. Accordingly 
leaving the company of cavalry at the bar, the little " Fire Fly" was 
called into requisition and, having on board Major General Solomon Van 
Rensselaer with his suite and several other gentlemen, met the expected 
party at New Baltimore. 

" Three hearty cheers were exchanged when these gentlemen came on 
board the Kent. General La Fayette landed about six o'clock in the 
afternoon on the east side of the river, three miles below Albany, where he 
was met by an escort of carriages and mounted dragoons from this city 
under the direction of General Van Rensselaer, marshal of the day. The 
honored guest entered a stylish vehicle, and with Gen. Van Rensselaer 
seated by his side they proceeded up the bank of the river to the village 
of Greenbush, where from an elevated staff waved a large national flag, 
and a splendid arch of thirty feet span was thrown over the street resting 
on two columns at each end. The space upon each side of the street was 
filled with large trees of evergreen. The arch was surmounted with flags 
and tastefully decorated with evergreens, and festooned with garlands of 
bright flowers. In the rear of the arch was pitched a general's marquee, 
decorated with flags, carpeted and hung round with fine national paintings; 
it was also furnished with side-board, tables, &c. Upon a table was set a 
handsome large pyramid of cake, furnished by Mrs. Nanning L Visscher, 
and decorated with boughs of mountain ash, filled with red clusters. In 
Albany we saw the procession, marshaled by General Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer and assisted by Majors Humphrey and Cole, coming up South 
Market street, and a more beautiful one was never witnessed. The dark- 
ness of the night rather increased than diminish,ed the eflfect. The escort 
consisted of three companies of cavalry and eight companies of infantry. 

" The band of Colonel Jenkins's regiment played most delightfully, they 
discoursed in eloquent strains and in a style but rarely surpassed. After 
this came the Military Association and next a very beauutiful chariot, the 
top thrown back, drawn by four milk white hor.ses, containing the venerated, 
much loved hero, and Stephen Lush Esq., a revolutionary soldier, who 
had received, at the south ferry, and welcomed him in behalf of the 
corporation, on his landing in the city. On arriving at the park — in 
front of the Capitol, the general left his carriage ; he was then conducted 
to the Capitol, and introduced to the mayor in the Senate Chamber, by 
General Solomon Van Rensselaer, the chief marshal of the day. The 
mayor then addressed his guest, after which the mayor conducted him to 
the governor's room who welcomed him with another address. They then 
proceeded to Cruttenden's and sat down to a sumptuous and bountiful repast. 



414 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

" The following day the general was invited to take a trip on the canal, 
and after an interesting visit at the United States' arsenal the party pro- 
ceeded to Troy, where they were most cordially received and addressed by 
George Tibbits, Esq. The Capitol was, for this momentous event, 
superbly decorated with greens and flowers, the pillars of the porch were 
entwined, and the hall was elegantly embellished with flags while the 
national standard was displayed from the cupola. On Saturday even- 
ing, at 8 o'clock. General La Fayette, escorted by the horse, commanded 
by Colonel Cooper, and accompanied by the mayor and other citizens, 
visited DeWitt Clinton, and remained at his house nearly an hour. He 
then proceeded to the residence of General Solomon Van Rensselaer for 
the purpose of paying his respects to his family, and particularly to the 
mother of Mrs. Solomon Van Rensselaer, the venerable widow of Colonel 
Philip Van Rensselaer of Cherry Hill. In the course of the conversation 
the general facetiously reminded her of a certain time during the revo- 
lutionary war, when, as a dashing young ofiicer, he arrived in the city on 
his way to Schenectady, on a cold winter's day, clad in his regimental 
small clothes, with white silk stockings and shoes, when she remonstrated 
against his venturing out thus and prevailed on him to wear, over both 
shoe and stocking, a coarse but thick, comfortable pair of woolen hose that 
came above the knee, and in that style he gaily pursued his journey. 
We mention such things merely as the reminiscences of days long gone 
by, and as interesting to those who lived in those perilous times." [I have 
a vivid recollection of this interesting incident. The marquis selected out 
our venerated maternal grandmother for a friendly chat ; and with me, a 
child of seven summers on his knee, reminded the old lady, in his genial 
way of " the loarm woolen koussen," and acknowledged the great comfort 
they gave him, that they were invaluable, and his indebtedness for her 
thoughtful consideration in those truly hazardous days. The solution of 
this grateful emotion was this : When Lafayette accompained James 
Duane to the Indian council at Johnstown in 1778, he visited Colonel 
Philip Van Rensselaer at Cherry Hill. There was still much snow on 
the ground, and being intensely cold, my grandmother feared he would 
freeze before reaching Schenectady. She therefore, with a mother's love, 
insisted upon his accepting a pair of thick woolen long stockings, the 
work of her own hands, to draw over his silk hose, that his feet might be 
better protected from the biting frost. The mind of the noble man seemed 
deeply retentive to such little acts of kindness.] 

" General La Fayette also called at the mansion of the venerable Lt. 
Governor Tayler, another patriot of the revolution. He then returned 
to Cruttenden's and received a deputation from Temple Royal Arch 
Chapter, with an address delivered by Dr. Eights, high priest of said 
Chapter. 

" Having made arrangements for his departure, the escort moved to 
Governor Yates's house, where the general also paid a visit. When the 
procession returned from the Governor Yates, South Market street was 
illumined from one end to the other; while whole barrels of tar blazed 
along the streets in honor of the noble and loved visitor. He was escorted 
to the steam boat landing when he departed. General La Fayette reached 
Clermont, where he intended to pass the Sabbath, very early on Sunday 
morning. It was also his design to dine with the widow of General 
Montgomery before he returned to New York city. 

It was a proud day for Albany, long to be remembered. The mayor — 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 415 

tho corporation — General Van Rensselaer — Colonel Cooper — tlie cavalry 
and the i'oot — all vied in showing respectful kindness and attention to 
the great chief. 

" Albany^ September 18, 1824:. Major General Solomon Van Rensselaer, 
is charged by the illustrious La Fayette, the guest of the nation, to express 
his grateful feelings for the kind and distinguished reception which he 
experienced from all quarters on his recent visit, and at the same time to 
state his regret for the unexpected delay in the time of his arrival. 

" General Van Rensselaer prays leave to add, the expression of his re- 
spectful approbation for the good conduct of the military and all other 
classes of citizens on this auspicious occasion. The demonstrations of 
gratitude and respect, so cordially and universally evinced for the hero of 
liberty and the friend of the human race, reflect honor on the American 
people, and elevate the character of man." 

The Patroon to Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Sir, Washington, Jany. 22, 1825. 

Your recommendation I presented to the Post-Master General. I sent 
to him the letter, his answer I enclosed to H. Bleecker, Esq., if a vacancy 
occur our friend will receive the appointment. McLean told me he had 
received no comnlaints yet. Our Presidential question is drawing to a 
close. Mr. Clay has taken his ground in favor of Adams, this will ensure 
his election without doubt it is said on the first ballot ; but I doubt this, 
the second or third certainly. The Western people — Ohio and Kentucky 
at their head — are for Adams. We may be divided in our delegation at 
first, but Taylor. Storrs and Tracy think not. I feel inclined for " Old 
Hickory" myself. Our Winter has been very mild — no ice, and but one 
flight of snow. I enjoy good health, and wish you and yours many happy 
returns of New Year. Ever yours. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. S. V. Rensselaer. 

" At the presidential election the most intense political excitement pre- 
vailed throughout the country. The candidates were Messrs. Adams, 
Crawford, Jackson and Clay. Neither of these candidates having received 
a majority, the house of representatives was called upon to decide the ques- 
tion. Mr. Clay, as speaker of the house, was placed in a delicate and respon- 
sible position. He was required to designate which of the three, who had 
been his rivals, should be elected. To his personal friends his preference 
had long been known. But obvious propriety prevented his proclaiming 
it in public ; and he accordingly maintained a decorous silence about it." 

J. B. Stuart to Oen. Van Rensselaer. "'^ 

Dear Sir, Washington City, 8th March, 1825. 

I am authorized to say to you, in confidence, that the mission to London 
•will be kept open 3 weeks to enable Mr. Clinton to reverse his first de- 
cision on this subject. It is, I believe, the unanimous wish of Mr. Clintons 
friends here, that he should accept it. Mr. Adams made it in good faith, 
and neither he nor Mr. Clay have any political object in view in sending 
Mr. Clinton out of the country. 

Rut the free navigation of the St. Lawrence — the recognition of South 
America by the British — and the suspicion of Piracy require an able man 
to represent this country, at the Court of St. James, in London. Mr. 
Clinton in the estimation of both Adams and Clay is that man. Will he 
not accept ? 



41 G Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Mr. Clay and Genl. Harrison send their best regards to you ; and Harri- 
son in true soldier style says, wliile he is in the Senate, if he luis the power 
you shall continue to be Post Master, or any thing else you may want. 

Yours truly, 

Gen. S. Van Rensselaer, Post Master, Albany. J. B. Stuart. 

Mr. Clinton did not accept the mission to London, and it was at this time 
the enemies of Mr. Clay were very active in their attacks. "On the 8th of 
March a letter was published, written by a Mr. Beverly, purporting to 
state the substance of a conversation held by the writer with Gen. Jack- 
son, at his own house, in which the latter distinctly said, that the friends 
of Mr. Clay had made to him, explicitly, the offer of their support, on con- 
dition, that he should not continue Mr. Adams as secretary of state.'' 

That Mr. Clay would vote for Gen. Jackson, notwithstanding the at- 
tempt to dragoon him into his support, no one who remembered the man- 
ner in which he had arraigned his conduct in the Seminole campaign, 
and the grounds on which he had then based his violent censure, could 
for one moment anticipate. He had repeatedly declared, that in no case, 
short of absolute necessity, would he do it. General .Jackson himself did 
not expect it. Mr. Crawford he did not choose to support, for the simple 
reason, that, as he had satisfied himself, by a personal visit, his health and 
physical abilities were not competent to the discharge of the arduous duties 
of the office. He had been a paralytic for more than two years, and there- 
fore seemed out of the question to Mr. Clay. Accordingly he decided to 
vote for Mr. Adams. He had long known him as a statesman of rare 
ability and undoubted integrity. He knew him also, as the unwavering 
friend of the system of protection and of Internal Improvements, and he 
had no objections to him. John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts was elected 
president of the United States ; and John C. Calhoun of South Carolina, 
vice president. The president immediately offered Mr. Clay a seat in the 
cabinet and Henry Clay became the secretary of the state, though many 
attempts were made to terrify him from accepting the office. Immedi- 
ately after the inaugurating of President Adams, the canvass for the next 
presidential contest of 1828 was commenced by the friends of General 
Jackson and it was foreseen at an early day that Mr. Adams could not be 
reelected. He would have been if he could, but all the signs were against 
him, and consequently he drew out of the race. James Monroe having 
been for fifty years in public life, found the quiet of his home in Virginia 
peculiarly acceptable. Mr. Monroe came in as a sort of compromise candi- 
date, after Madison's retirement, and his administration was conducted 
during a long era of " peace and good will." He went to the office a 
poor man, and came out of it a poor man. 

Dr. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Sir, New York March 19, 1825. 

I intended to have written to you yesterday, but was so hurried that I 
had not time. I requested Adeline to tell you of it. You are, as we all 
know, a Member of the '■^Military Philosophical Society," which for years 
has been defunct. This Society had a fund arising from the initiation fee 
of Members — and which has for many years laid idle. The Lyceum of 
Natural History, being much in wantof a Library, appointed a Committee 
to gain the consent of the Members of the " Military Philosophical Society" 
to have that fund delivered to the Lyceum for that purpose. The indi- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 417 

viduals of your Society have mostly given their consent, on the express 
Gondii ion, that the fuml ho appropriated to purchase of hooks merely. The 
original number of the Society was about 200; of which 40 remain to be 
heard from, and the Committee have reserved yourself and some few Mem- 
bers, who were near to New York, to apply to for the final Sanction. But 
one Gentleman has declined the request. Let me hear from you as soon 
as convenient. Remember me to the family and believe me — Yours very 
Truly Jer : Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Sir. New York Tuesday April 5, 1825. 

Your several letters have been received and the contents duly forwarded. 
The "Lyceum of Natural History" have returned you a Vote of TJianks 
for your ready acquiescence in their wishes. The fund alluded to has laid 
idle for many years — and the Military Philosophical Society has not met 
in nine or ten years. Should you see any of the folks from the Greenbush 
bank, say that we are well. Yours Truly. Jer: Van Rensselaer. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. 

" General La Fayette, accompanied by his son and secretary, traveled 
through every state and was welcomed with the strongest exhibitions of 
appreciation and respect, his journey among us was a continued ovation to the 
old hero who was now sixty-seven years of age. He was every where received 
with honor as the nation's guest, and he found that forty years had made 
great changes in every thing but the hearts of the people, they still loved 
him even as their fiithers had done for the interest he had ever felt. At 
Mount Vernon he had wept over the dust of his beloved Washington and 
now he was approaching Albany en route to Boston that he might lay the 
corner-stone of the great monument, at Bunker-hill, on the 17th of June, 
1825. As a token of their regard, congress had also presented him the 
sum of $200,000 and a township of land, being a slight return for his 
self-denial and loss of his own fortune in our behalf. Even when he 
finally left our shores, so far from the warmth and cordiality of his recep- 
tion having in the least abated, he was just as much the object of affec- 
tionate and sincere attention as he was the hour he landed for the third 
time on our coast. On the arrival at Albany in June, 1825, of the distin- 
guished traveling party from the West, they were again received with 
repeated cheers, and with patriotic airs from the Albany band." 

The long and short La Fayette kid gloves, waist-ribbons, badges, &c. 
(ornamented with an elegant portrait of the general, an excellent likeness, 
which were worn at the grand ball that was given at the Capitol on the 
arrival of the guest of the nation on the previous visit), were now again 
called in requisition. The line of troops and processions of citizens as an 
escort was as brilliant a cortege as any person could desire. 

Escort of Gen. La Fayette — General Orders. 

Head Quarters, June 11th, 1825. 
On the Departure of General La Fayette from this City, He will be es- 
corted to the line of the State by Captain Spencer's company of Albany 
Light Dragoons, accompanied by the Staff of the Commander in Chief. 

Major General Solomon Van Rensselaer is assigned to the command of 
this escort and his orders will be respected accordingly. 
By order of the Commander in Chief, 

Charles A. Clinton, Acfg. Adjt. Genl. 
53 



418 Legacy of Histokical Gleanings. 

Departure of Lafayette — On Monday, June 13, at early dawn our citi- 
zens were roused from their slumbers by the thunder of cannon, a na- 
tional salute in honor of the guest of the nation — the bells gave a merry 
peal to call forth old and young to take leave of the hero who came from 
a foreign land and spent his treasures and periled his life to redeem our 
country from thraldom to tyrants. In a short time our streets were all 
bustle and animation ; the proud charger with military trappings dashed 
over the pavement with his gallant rider clad in all the panoply of war, 
while the nodding plumes of the foot soldiery spake that each man was eager 
to honor the brave. At 8 o'clock the procession was formed along the. 
park and in front of Cruttenden's, when the general entered his carriage 
supported by General Solomon Van Rensselaer, marshal of the day, and 
preceded by the military. The x\lbany Military Association, under their 
president. Colonel John T. Cooper, escorted the general to the ferry with 
drawn swords, an honor never before paid by them to any other individual. 

The mayor (Ambrose Spencer) and board of corporation followed in 
carriages and a long line of citizens on foot conducted through many streets 
to the south ferry under a discharge of cannon and ringing of bells, where 
he received the affectionate farewell of thousands. On leaving the shore 
at Albany, the ferry boat which contained the escort was saluted with 
music and the roar of artillery. The general and suite, en route for Bos- 
ton, escorted by a detachment of cavalry — and accompanied by the acting 
adjutant general (Charles A. Clinton), one of the governor's aids, and the 
Military Association of the city went as far as the Massachusetts line. The 
escort proceeded to Schodack and Nassau. At Brainard's Bridge a collation 
had been provided and a committee from Lebanon also waited upon him. 
As the escort approached Lebanon Springs, crowds of horsemen and foot- 
men followed, kt the state line an escort from Pittsfield received the gene- 
ral and suite and the escort from Albany took leave. He was taken by the 
Massachusetts committee to a carriage adorned with wreaths of beautiful 
flowers. The elegant carriage, in which the honored hero had journeyed 
from Albany to the state line, was the same one that had been used on 
his first arrival at the bar below Greenbush. It was a very stylish barouche 
of English manufacture ; the property of the late lamented Colonel Nan- 
ning I. Visscher, purchased in London, while on his visit to Great Britain, 
and brought by him to this country. It was kindly loaned by the widow 
of Colonel Visscher to General Van Rensselaer for these occasions. 

The Hudson Register says an object of curiosity and interest as his- 
torical is presented to the visitors at (Jolumbia Hall, Lebanon Springs, in 
an old and time worn Hotel Register, the first volume dating back to 1820. 

During the summer of 1825 Gen. La Fayette, in his tour through the 
states whose independence he had materially assisted to achieve, tarried 
for a brief period at the springs, accompanied thither by a lot of dignitaries. 

The following is a verbatim transcript from the register aforesaid under 
date of June 13, 1825 : " Marquis De La Fayette and son ; General Solo- 
mon Van Rensselaer ; Col. Clinton ; Capt, Spencer, Lady and two children; 
Mr. Norton, A. D. C. to his Excellency ; Col. Bloodgood ; Major J. B. 
Van Schaack ; Col. John T. Cooper ; Major P. Seaton Henry ; Major R. 
V. De Witt ; Lieut. Col. Knowlton ; Maj. T. A. Bridgen, Surrogate ; Capt. 
S. V. R. Bleecker; Capt. Osborn ; Capt. Hendrickson ; Lieut. Webster; 
Lieut. P. H. Van Valkenburg Kirkland ; Adjutant Hazard ; Adjutant 
Brush ; Dr. James Eights, Surgeon 89th Infantry. " 

Out of all this number only two or three are still living. ■' The sorrow 



Legacy of IIistohlcal Gleanings. 419 

for the dead is the only sorrow from which we refuse to be divorced. 
There is a remembrance of the dead to whicli we ever gladly turn." 

The Last Visit. — •' General La Fayette returned to Albany from his 
visit to the eastern states on Friday July 1, 1825, en route to New York, 
at which place he had engaged to spend the national holiday of July -ith. 
The ' Nation's Guest' sat down to a sumptuous dinner in the hall of the 
Capitol ; it was a well spread board, ' wit walked the round, songs filled the 
air.' The military escort from Troy and a committee of our citizens who 
went to bring him in, sat down with him. The general's arrival at the 
city bounds was announced by a discharge of cannon. In various parts 
of the city, bright flags were flying through the day in honor of the 
pleasant occasion. At the dinner, Rev. Dr. Chester asked a blessing from 
the Throne of Grace. The toast of General La Fayette was : ' Albany as 
I have known it, and Albany as it is now — a comparative standard 
between royal guardianship, and the self government of the people — may 
this difference be more and more illustrated at home, and understood 
abroad.' After dinner, at eight o'clock, the general and suite, together with 
the 3Iilitary Association visited the theatre. After the play was over, the 
honored party in carriages preceded by a fine band of music, were escorted 
to the steam boat Bolivar ; he embarked on board and proceeded down the 
river as far as West Point. This was his last visit. The marquis was 
much gratified with the exhibition of regard and the attention shown him 
throughout the entire land whose cause he had adopted in its darkest 
hours, and whose liberties he had assisted so much in establishing." 

It was a matter of deep regret that the governor of (he state — De 
Witt Clinton — was necessarily absent on the occasion of both visits, but 
Gen. La Fayette was received by the acting adjutant general, Charles A. 
Clinton, private secretary. 

" Preparatory measures were on foot leading to the Ohio canals, of 
opening and rendering permanent a navigable water communication be- 
tween Lake Erie and the Ohio river. The completion of the Erie or 
Grand canal in New York state had dispelled all doubts about the prac- 
ticability of the one in Ohio. Governor Clinton had favored the admis- 
sion of Ohio into the Union, and had always been friendly to its advance- 
ment. The commissioners, early in the year 1825, determined on the 
route commencing at Cleveland and ending at Portsmouth on the Ohio 
river. Every preparation being made, the constituted authorities invited 
De Witt Clinton, governor of New York, to be present at the commence- 
ment of making the canal. Accordingly Governor Clinton attended by 
liis aids. Colonels Jones and Reed ; General Solomon Vau Rensselaer of 
Albany, who had traversed the state when a wilderness, as an oflacer under 
General Wayne; Judge Conkling, United States district judge, and a few 
others, started from Albany, New York, and landed at Cleveland, Ohio, 
in June 1825. They arrived at Newark near the Licking summit, on the 
third day of July on a beautiful afternoon. Here were assembled to meet, 
welcome and receive these distinguished friends of Ohio, the governor of 
Ohio, Jere.miah Morrow, with the other state functionaries and military, 
dressed in their best attire with all their arms. As soon as Governor 
Clinton's carriage appeared on the public square, the many thousands of 
persons present rent the air with their loud huzzas of welcome to De Witt 
Clinton, ' the father of internal improvements.' Four companies of ar- 
tillery fired one hundred guns in honor of the state's guest. Of this great 
assemblage, many of them were his personal friends, with many of whom 



420 Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings. 

he had all along corresponded on the subject which had brought them 
together. The meeting of so many old friends ou an occasion so dear to 
all their hearts, was deeply affecting to all present. 

" On the 4th day of July, 1825, forty-nine years after the declaration of 
independence, this great work of connecting Lake Erie with the Ohio 
river, by a navigable canal, was commenced, by the sons of those who 
achieved the independence of their country. The day was as fair as 
heart could desire, and the summit where the first shovel full of earth 
was to be excavated, was three miles or more westwardly of Newark. The 
underbrush was cleared off from an acre or more in the woods, near the 
summit, where, under many wide spreading beech trees, tables and seats 
were placed for the assemblage to dine. At an early hour in the morning 
of the 4th, the whole company moved from Newark, on to the ground 
which had been prepared for them. Governor Clinton, Governor Morrow, 
and the state oflQcers went to the ground on the summit, and ex- 
cavated each a few shovelfulls of earth. After this ceremony was per- 
formed, these officers retired to a rude platform, under a shade, where 
being seated, Thomas Ewing, Esq., delivered an address. This address 
was replied to by Governor Clinton, who was repeatedly interrupted by 
the loud huzzas of the thousands there assembled. As soon as his address 
was finished, one burst of universal applause from all present, followed it. 
One hundred guns told the world that the canal was begun. The ad- 
dresses having been delivered, the company sat down to dine in the shade 
of wide spreading beeches. The governors of Ohio and New York oc- 
cupied the highest places at the table, and the state officers of both states 
sat next to them. Toasts were drank, in honor of the day, and of the 
particular occasion. One of these was as follows: By Mr. M. Seley — 
' General Solomon Van Rensselaer, He this day reaps a rich reward for 
his toils in the wilderness in 1796.' 

" On the 5th of July, Governor Clinton was escorted to Lancaster where 
he tarried over night. On the next day, he and a great concourse who 
followed and accompanied him, went to Columbus the seat of the state 
government. Here, on the next day, in the Capitol, in the presence of all 
the state officers and of a large assemblage of both sexes, Governor Morrow 
delivered an address to Governor Clinton, which the latter answered in 
an appropriate and eloquent manner. A public dinner ended the pro- 
ceedings of the day. PJscorted from Columbus, to Springfield, by a large 
number of gentlemen, either in carriages or on horse-back, Governor 
Clinton was received by the people of the town last named as he had been, 
by those of Columbus. The governor of New York was addressed by 
Charles Anthony, Esquire, in behalf of the citizens of Springfield. On 
the next day, after partaking of a public dinner, the two governors and 
their escort, moved forward. At Cincinnati a dinner had been gotten up 
for the Hon. Henry Clay of Kentucky. This the governors of Ohio and 
New York attended as invited guests. At this period there was no canal 
around the falls of the Ohio, and there were two chartered companies, 
one by Kentucky and the other by Indiana, each disputing about which 
side of the river was best adapted to a canal. These companies invited 
Governor Clinton to visit the falls and settle the dispute. The two 
governors assented to visit Louisville and after a patient and careful ex- 
amination of the ground on both sides of the river, Clinton gave his de- 
cided preference to the Louisville side of the Ohio. To this decision all 
parties assented, and on that side, since then, a canal has been made. At 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 421 

Pittsburo; a larpjc and beautiful steamer was launched in his presence 
named De Witt Clinton. He then passed throu<:h Pennsylvania and 
Nevv Jersey to New York city. Throughout the entire trip he and his 
escort were guests of the state." 

Dinner to Gen. Van Rensselaer at Detroit, Michigan. 

Detroit Herald, July 19, 1825. The arrival of General Solomon Van 
Rensselaer in this city [Detroit] was an event which could not be suffered 
to pass in silence by its patriotic and enlightened citizens. The tide of 
time which is rapidly sweeping the busy actors in this drama of life to 
" that bourne from whence no traveller returns," has left but few of the dis- 
tinguished officers, who, under the command of Gen. Wayne, contributed 
to wrest this territory from the British power. This event was effected 
by the victory of Miami, of the lake, near our own borders ; and here was 
the earliest theatre of Genl. Van Rensselaer's military fame. There are 
among us, at this day, many to whom the chivalrous daring of the young 
officer of cavalry, and the desperate wounds he received in a successful 
charge upon the enemy, ou the 20th of August, 1794, is remembered as 
a nursery tale. This same individual, however, has more recently been 
presented to our view, in the memorable and sanguinary contest on the 
Heights of Queenstown. We could not fail to recognize the identity of 
character, which has marked his life, and the same chivalrous contempt of 
danger, the same indifi'erence to the reward which usually follows success- 
ful valor. Hence the citizens of Detroit, could not but be delighted with 
the opportunity of expressing their high regard for the character of one, 
whose life', may truly be said to have been " without fear and without re- 
proach." 

Trihute to Merit. — Proceedings relating to a public dinner, given to 
Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer at Detroit on Tuesday July 12th. 

Sir, _ Monday, July 11, 1825. 

The citizens of Detroit desirous of offering a small tribute to your patri- 
otism and gallant services, and as an expression of the high respect which 
they entertain for your estimable character, solicit the favour of your com- 
pany at a public dinner, at Woodworth's Hotel, tomorrow at 2 o'clock p. m. 

I have the honor to be Sir, with great respect ; your obd't Serv't, 

To Major Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer. Jno. R. Williams, Mayor. 

Reply. 
Sir, Detroit July 11, 1825. 

I have just had the honor of receiving your polite invitation to a pub- 
lic dinner, to be given by the Citizens of Detroit, to morrow at 2 o'clock. 
Under the impression that I cannot better evince the high sense which I 
entertain of this distinguished, but most unexpected mark of respect than 
by its prompt and cheerful acceptance, I cannot permit myself to decline 
it. Permit me to express, through you, to the worthy citizens of 
Detroit the deep obligation under which they have thus laid me, and for 
the very flattering expression contained in your note, I entreat you to 
accept my most cordial thanks. 

I have the honor to be Sir, your obt. humble Servant. 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Hon. John R. Williams, Mayor of the City of Detroit. 

Col. John Fi. Wool, Col. J. Snelling, the Hon. A. Conkling and Capt. 
J. Sherman jr., were also invited as guests to the dinner. 



422 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

To Col. John E. Wool, Monday July 11, 1825. 

Sir — The citizens of Detroit having; concluded to give a public dinner 
to Maj. Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, on his first visit to Detroit, as a mark 
of the high respect entertained for his character, patriotism and public 
services, considering Sir, the gallant part which you acted in conjunction 
with him, in the affair of Queenston Heights, one of the scenes of his mili- 
tary career, the favor of your company is solicited at a public dinner, at 
Woodworth's Hotel at 2 P. M. I have the honor to be, with great respect 
Sir, your obt Servt. J. R. Williams, Mayor. 

Reply. 
My Dear Sir, Detroit, July 12, 1825. 

Your favor of yesterday was received last evening. Under any circum- 
stances it would afford me peculiar pleasure to dine with the Citizens of 
Detroit, but on the present occasion, an additional inducement is offered 
to accept of the proffered honor ; in the circumstance that a distinguished 
mark of respect is intended for one, who was once a companion in arms, 
when his civil and military command was as conspicuous as his blood 
flowed copiously in the cause of his country. With the most respectful 
consideration I have the honor to be, Sir, your obt. servant. 

To Col. J. R. Williams, Mayor. John E. Wool. 

Hon. Alfred Conkling's Reply. 
Sir, Monday, July 11, 1825. 

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of invitation of the citizens 
of Detroit, to a public dinner to be given to-morrow to Gen. S. Van 
Rensselaer. As a citizen of the State of New York, I cannot but feel 
flattered by this distinguished tribute of respect, to one of her most gallant 
and favorite sons, with great pleasure I accept the invitation. With the 
highest respect, I have the honor to be Sir, yr. obt. humble servant. 

A. CONKLING. 

Hon. John R. Williams, Mayor of the City of Detroit. 

Tuesday July 12. At two o'clock, agreeably to arrangements made with 
Capt. Woodworth, the worthy proprietor of the Steam Boat Hotel, a large 
number of the respectable citizens of Detroit, after having been introduced 
.by the mayor to General Van Rensselaer and to the Hon. A. Conkling, 
sat down to an elegant and plentiful dinner. J. R. Williams, mayor of 
the city, presided, and the Hon. Solomon Sibley, one of the judges of the 
supreme court, assisted as vice president. After the cloth had been re- 
moved, the mayor rose and after soliciting the attention of the company, 
delivered the following address: " Major General Solomon Van Rensse- 
laer, sir, connected as your military career is with the introduction of lib- 
erty to this land, we hail your first visit with sentiments of heartfelt 
pleasure. In the darkest period of the western settlements of the Union, 
after the defeat of Harmar and St. Clair in their attempt to give protec- 
tion and security to those frontiers ; when the ruthless and merciless savage 
with the tomahawk and scalping knife reeking with the blood of thousands 
of defenceless victims, then it was that the discriminating judgment of 
the illustrious Washington selected the gallant General Wayne, the com- 
panion of his toils in the struggle for independence, to the command 
of an army destined in its victorious career to achieve to the western 
states peace and permanent security, and to the brave and heroic officers 
and soldiers who composed it, unfading laurels — and trophies still more 
lasting, perpetuated in the national glory and gratitude. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 423 

" The signal victory gained by the American anus, over the combined 
Indian nations, and their British Canadian auxiliaries on the 20th August, 
1794, at the Miami rapids, opens to our view one of the scenes of your 
gallant deeds. Impelled by the force of that patriotic fire, which you 
justly inherited from your gallant and revolutionary sire, you were a soldier 
before you became a man. The nineteenth year of your life exhibited 
your brave conduct at the head of a company of legionary cavalry, which 
signalized itself by one of the most brilliant and effectual charges ever 
made against the savage nations of this hemisphere. Here your first 
blood was shed for your country, and although your wounds were believed 
to be mortal, you tenaciously refused to be dismounted from your charger, 
grasping still tighter the steel that had been so gloriously and successfully 
wielded against the enemies of your country. From the victorious cam- 
paign, we now follow you to the walks of private life, everywhere and 
uniformly meriting by your virtues, your generous hospitality, and your gen- 
tlemanly and unassuming deportment, the love and admiration of all who 
have come within the range of your acquaintance. Yet, notwithstanding 
these amiable qualities, and your just claims on the affections of your 
fellow citizens, there was a time when the system of proscription, which 
unhappily reigned in your native state, marked you, among other distin- 
guished men, as one of its victims. But the truly sovereign people, in the 
majesty of their might, have prostrated in the dust, and blotted out from 
political sway, those men and those principles, which, while they pre- 
vailed, could only be viewed as monuments of discredit and disgrace to the 
first state of the Union. 

" Ever ready at your country's call, we see you next on the great monu- 
mental Niagara. The stain which our national glory sustained by the 
disgraceful surrender of Gen. Hull and the army under his command, to 
the inferior forces under Gen. Brock, had its effect upon the moral and 
physical energies of the nation. Some act of noble daring was requisite 
to raise the drooping spirits of the nation, and to wipe away the foul blot 
which had been cast upon our land forces. The battle of Queenstoa 
Heights may be considered as a lesson to an exulting foe : the daring of 
the enterprise — the boldness in which it was planned — the undaunted 
gallantry displayed in the attack, the majestic scenery which enveloped 
the noble warriors, when performing their various parts, will ever 
remain as one of the imperishable monuments of our national glory. 
Here again, Sir, we behold you, leading your younger and less experienced 
companions in arms on to glory, to death or to victory — until you fall 
covered with honorable wounds. For such services your country owes to 
you honor and admiration ; and for the blood which you have thus gene- 
rously shed, there is due to you the lasting gratitude of a nation. With 
our best wishes for the preservation of a life rendered thus dear to your 
country, we sincerely hope that the evening of your days be attended 
with health and happiness." Then the following sentiment was offered by 
the president of the table and drank — "the brave and gallant ofiicers 
and soldiers of our country. May the national gratitude towards them, 
be coeval with the glory and splendor of their actions." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer's Reply. 
'< Sir — I should do violence to my feelings, were I to refrain from 
giving utterance to the deep emotions of gratitude which it is impossible 
that I should not most sensibly feel upon this occasion. If in an honest 



424 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

endeavor to discharge the duty of a citizen to his country, it has been ray 
gKod fortune to render some service to tlie repultlic, the approbation of 
my i'ellow citizens, of which I am this day receiving so signal and so flat- 
tering a proof, is an ample reward for any sufferings which I may have 
endured in the service of my country. Be assured that I shall retain, as 
long as I live, a grateful and lively recollection of this distinguished and 
unexpected honor, and shall never cease to regard this, as one of the 
happiest and proudest days of my life." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer then gave the following highly complimentary 
toast : " The City of Detroit — the headquarters of hospitality and patriot- 
ism." By Judge Sibley the vice president at the table — " The President 
of the United States." By Col. John E. Wool — =' The People and the 
Army of the United States, united in the support of principles which 
saved America and will save the world." The following area few among 
the many toasts : — By Maj. D. Baker, Com't of the United States forces 
at Detroit — " The Heroes of '94, who first taught the savages the immuta- 
bility of American valor." By Alderman T. Rowland — " Gen. Van Rens- 
selaer our esteemed guest : On the banks of the Miami and the Heights 
of Queenston, his blood flowed with no stinted tide, may the gratitude of 
his country flow as freely." By Major Biddle — " The loth Oct. 1812 ; its 
events conferred honor upon more than one of our guests." After Col. 
Wool had retired. 

By Lieut. J. W. Webb — '■ Col. John E. Wool, while the events of 
Queenston Heights have a place upon the page of history his gallantry 
will be remembered." By Judge Sibley — " The Governor of the State of 
New York, the patriot and the statesman, may his country duly appreciate 
his worth." After the dinner was over, Gen. Van Rensselaer, Col. Wool, 
and the Hon. A. Conkling took an afi'ectionate leave of the company, who 
accompanied them on board the steam brig Superior with emotions which 
may be better conceived than expressed. 



CHAPTER XX. 

Erie Canal Celebration. 



The completion of the Erie canal and the celebration of the joyful 
event in New York city was a splendid exhibition in honor of the entire- 
ness, the perfect state of the longest canal in the world. The Erie canal, 
commenced July 4, 1817, was finished on October 26, 1825. It connects 
the great lakes of North America with the Atlantic Ocean, passing through 
the state of New York, a state which seventy years before was a wilder- 
ness, thinly peopled by a little more than 100,000 souls. The work has 
been completed in the short space of eight years, by this single state, and 
now as a sequence : The canal celebration took place on Friday No- 
vember 4, 1825. For several days previous, strangers from every part of 



Legacy op Historical Gleantnos. 425 

the surrounding country had been crowding into the city to witness the 
interesting event and join in the anticipated festival. 

On Wednesday (October 20), at ten o'clock, a. m., the waters of Lake 
Eric were admitted at Buffalo,' and the first boat (Seneca Chief) from the 
lake couinienced its voyage to New York, an object of very great interest. 

This joyful event was announced to the citizens of the state by the 
roar of cannon planted in a continued line along the banks of the canal 
and of the Hudson, at intervals of about eight miles, and extending from. 
Buffalo to Sandy Hook, a distance of about 544 miles. The cannon were 
fired in succession, commencing at Buffalo at the moment of the entrance 
of the boat into the canal, and the intelligence thus communicated, reached 
this city (New York) precisely at twenty minutes past eleven o'clock, at 
which time a national salute was fired from the battery, and this acknow- 
ledgment that we had received the intelligence was then immediately re- 
turned by the same line of cannon to Buffalo as telegraphic movements. 
A sub-committee had been appointed, who had proceeded to Buffalo for 
the purpose of tendering and receiving congratulations in behalf of the 
common council of the city of New York on the completion of the grand 
Erie canal : and to invite a committee from each of the towns and villages 
on the route to unite with the citizens of New York in celebrating that 
happy event. 

On Thursday, November 3d, at Albany, six steam boats dressed with 
the flags of different nations were put under the direction of a committee, 
at whose invitation the numerous guests of the corporation repaired on 
board, at about ten o'clock ; among whom were, besides the committee of 
the west; the governor [De Witt Clinton] and lieutenant governor [James 
Tallmadge] of the state. 

Generals Stephen, Solomon, and Jacob R. Van Rensselaer — Simeon 
De Witt, surveyor general ; Colonel Schuyler ; Judge Spencer, Judges 
Geddes and Conklin, together with a most respectable delegation from 
Albany, were among the invited guests. When the guests reached a 
point between Weehawken and state prison, the committee from New 
York met — hailed the leading boat of the flotilla, and inquired the place 
from where she was and her destination, to which the cheering an- 
swer was returned by the acting admiral she was " from Lake Erie and 
bound for Sandy Hook." The newly arrived friends were greeted at New 
York with the peal of bells, martial music and the roar of cannon. At nine 
o'clock A. M., Friday, November 4, 1825, all arrangements being com- 
pleted, the grand aquatic procession commenced and proceeded down the 
bay. The fleet consisted of thirty -seven boats. The safety barges. Lady 
Clinton and Lady Van Rensselaer, attached to the steam boatCommerce,were 
superbly decorated and most tastefully festooned with evergreens and 
flowers, and were exclusively appropriated to and crowded with ladies 
elegantly attired, presented a most beautiful spectacle. 

The barge with the ladies, among whom was Mrs. De Witt Clinton, 
proceeded to the ocean in the line of the fleet and returned in its order. 
The aquatic display transcended all anticipations, such a sight was never 
before beheld. 

Twenty-nine steam boats so gorgeously dressed, with barges, ships, pilot 
boats, canal boats, conveying thousands of ladies and gentlemen, presented a 
scene which cannot be described, the movement of the whole flotilla ap- 
peared to move as by magic. 
54 



426 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The steam boat Washington took the lead, on board of which the 
honorable the corporation, with the society of Cincinnati, the reverend 
clergy, of all denominations, the army and naval officers, all the consuls of 
foreign nations, the judges of all our courts, and very many other citizens 
and strangers were guests. 

As the fleet passed the battery they were saluted by the military, the 
revenue cutter, and the castle on Governor's island. 

As they proceeded, they were joined by the ship Hamlet which 
had previously been dressed for the occasion with the flags of all nations, 
and on board of which were the marine and nautical societies. As the 
fleet passed the narrows, they were saluted by Forts Lafayette and Thomp- 
kins. They then proceeded to the United States schooner Dolphin, 
moored within Sandy Hook at a point in the Atlantic south of Long Is- 
land. Governor Clinton now went through the interesting ceremony of 
uniting the waters, by pouring that uf Lake Erie into the Atlantic. Two 
barrels of Lake Erie water had been brought from Buffalo on the canal- 
boat Seneca Chief, which was towed down with the fleet. Dr. Mitchill 
also performed some ceremonies and delivered an address. After which, 
the bugle then announced to the ladies that dinner was ready, and they 
found a sumptuous repast was prepared. 

Two British packets, at anchor in port, saluted and cheered the line of 
steam boats as they passed, for which our band in returned played " God save 
the King. " 

The procession on land was formed of all the difi'erent societies, fire de- 
partments, hook and ladder companies, bands of musicians in dresses of 
scarlet and gold; the elegant engine of the eagle fire company, was mount- 
ed on a car carpeted and beautifully decorated with festoons, and drawn 
by four horses led by four colored grooms, dressed in Turkish costume ; on 
the top of the engine was the American flag upon the engine-pipe as a flag 
staff". Standing upon the car was a fireman flanked on either side by a 
link boy. This was only one of an innumerable specimen of cars all hand- 
somely decorated. There were also a great number of military officers, 
soldiers and Free Masons. 

The festivities of the great day of consummation, of the connecting link 
between the Atlantic ocean and Lake Erie, were very appropriately closed 
by a most brilliant pyrotechnic display exhibited upon the roof of the 
City Hall, which building was illuminatad with wax candles and lamps, 
total 2,306. 

On Monday, November seventh, the festivities of New York were appro- 
priately concluded by a Canal Celebration Ball, which was a very splendid 
aff"air, it was given in the Lafayette amphitheatre by the militia officers 
and citizens of New York. 

Medals of very beautiful design and workmanship were given to all the 
invited guests of the corporation, both ladies and gentlemen. On one 
side is Pan and Neptune in loving embrace with the cornucopia, showing 
fruits of the land, the sea, and shore with light-house, etc., and the inscrip- 
tion, " Union of Erie with the Atlantic." 

The reverse showed the coat of arms of the state, with a section of the 
canal, with its locks and tunnel, the bay of New York, ship in full sail, 
and the city, with an inscription, " Erie canal commenced 4th July, 1817. 
Completed 26th October, 1825. Presented by the city of New York." 
There were fifty-one gold medals struck and sent to the different crowned 
heads of the world and eminent men ; one was sent to Gen. La Fayette. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 427 

There were also several hundreds of silver, but the largest number were 
of block tin or white ruetal. The boxes containing the silver medals were 
made from logs of cedar brought from an island of Lake Erie, in the vicin- 
ity of Buffalo. The gold medals were inclosed in elegant square red mo- 
rocco cases. The citizens from Buffalo were furnished with a keg of water 
taken from the " briny deep" for the purpose of being mingled with the 
waters of Lake Erie. The keg was handsomely ornamented with the arms 
of the city of New York, over which were the words in letters of gold 
^' JVepftme's return to Pan'' and under the same, the words '■'■New York 
4th Nov., 1825." Upon the other side of the kegs were the words " Water 
of the Atlantic." The manner in which the Seneca Chief was fitted 
up by the committee does them great credit ; nor can we omit a more par- 
ticular mention of two paintings which were executed in Buffalo and sent 
down on board. One was a view of Buffalo harbor, a section of Lake Erie, 
Buffalo creek and its junction with the canal, &c., the whole representing 
the scene exhibited at the moment of starting the Seneca Chief. The 
other is purely a classic emblematical production of the pencil and is an 
excellent design for such an occasion. The piece on the extreme left ex- 
hibits a frame of Hercules in a sitting posture leaning upon his favorite 
club, and resting from the severe labor just completed. The centre shows 
a section of the canal, with a lock, and, in the foreground is a full length 
figure of Gov,. DeWitt Clinton clad, like a Roman, in the toga and san- 
. dais, with head uncovered and haircut short. He is supposed to have 
just flung open the lock-gate, and with the right hand extended (the arm 
being bare) seems in the act of inviting Neptune, who appears upon the 
water, to pass through the lock and take possession of the watery regions 
which the canal has attached to his dominions. The God of the sea is 
upon the right of the piece, and stands erect in his chariot of shell, which 
is drawn by sea-horses, holding his trident, and is in the act of recoiling 
with his body as if confounded by the fact disclosed at the opening of the 
lock. Naiades are sporting around the sea horses, in the water, who, as 
well as the horses themselves, seem hesitating as if half afraid they were 
about to invade forbidden regions not their own. 

Beside the paintings, the boat carried two elegant kegs, each with an 
eagle upon it ; above and below which, were the words, " Water of Lake 
Erie." These were filled from the lake and on the arrival at Sandy Hook 
were emptied into the ocean. The cedar logs used for the medal boxes 
were brought on this boat. But there was another and perhaps the most 
novel of all the boats, which started about two hours later, and overtook 
the party at Lockport. This was " Noah's ark " literally stored with creep- 
ing things ; she had on board a bear, two eagles, two fawns, with a great 
variety of other animals and birds, together with several fish, not forget- 
ting two Indian boys, in the dress of their nation, all heiwj products of 
the ijreat West. 

Mrs. Sol. Van Rensselaer to her Daughters. 
My Dear Girls, New York Monday Eve, Nov. 7, 1825. 

Your dear Father and Sisters with the Doctor and his Wife [Dr. Jere- 
miah V. 11.] together with Case [Cornelieus G. V. R.] have gone to the 
Canal Celebration Ball, given by the Officers and Citizens. Mary Bay, 
too was one of the party. I was proof against all persuasion or would 
not be so well employed as I am now, and surely not less gratified. If 
descriptive powers were mine, I should soon till my paper with incidents 
of the Grand Canal Celebration; but it would be a hopeless task, so 1 refer 



428 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

you to the news-papers — willonlysay, I think it almost impossible toconvey 
an idea of such an impressive splendid scene. The representations are all 
very tame when recalling the actual existence of the complete view. I 
was present at the impressive ceremony of uniting the fresh water of Ijake 
Erie with the briny, blue Atlantic Ocean ; it was effected by the Governor 
who made a short address. Dr. Mitchill emptied small bottles filled with 
water from some rivers in f]urope. Mr. Golden too, gave to the Mayor a 
"written document, the history of the canal from its commencement. But 
]ike the Cat that went to Holland, I saw so much, can say no more. We 
dined on board — it was a sumptuous entertainment, here we were met and 
welcomed by Dr. Jeremiah V. E,. and on our return to the city accompanied 
him to his house, receiving a very kind reception from Charlotte. The 
brilliant fireworks in the evening at Vauxhall Grarden and City Hall were 
greatly enjoyed. Last Saturday morning, your Papa, Elizabeth and Mar- 
garetta called at Mr. Jerard Beekmans and promised to make their house 
our temporary home after the return from Belville. At 3 o'clock the same 
day we started from the Dr's, arriving at Belville just at candle-light and 
were most cordially received by every inmate of the family. Mr. John 
Van Rensselaer had been on the lookout for us the day before in New 
York, but in that multitudinous sea, it was a vain search. Angelica, 
Henrietta and our girls were in high glee, and General Van Cortland the 
Beau among all others. Sunday our party attended church. 

The neighbors joined our friends and kindly urged us to prolong our 
stay, which we would gladly have done, to enjoy the amenities of their 
cheerful home, but for the attractions of the Canal Ball. Tomorrow we 
spend here at Dr. V. Rs ; the day after are engaged at Cousin Caty Beek- 
mans, and how long, or shortly, you may expect our return, the one who 
writes next will tell. Your Aunt Maria promised if my dear old mother 
continued well to spend much of her time with you ; it is a great comfort 
to know it can be so. Tell your Grandmama that the thirty-one years, 
since I was here, has made great and sad havoc among my acquaintiances, 
and as her old friends are mine, I am anxious she should particularize, 
that I do not neglect them — ascertain their names. Take good care of my 
little ones, be particularly careful of them, and of everything in case of 
another illumination. I will leave this open for them to add a line on 
their return. May God bless and preserve you all my dear children is 
the fervent prayer of your affectionate Mother, A. Van Rensselaer. 

After Midnight. We are all at home from the Ball except Cornelius, 
and no accident of consequence though Charlotte says she has some ribs 
cracked in the press. We met the world and his wife; military heroes, 
noble statesmen, artificial and natural characters, the audacious, the clown- 
ish or vulgarized, the polished and refined, Mantua-makers, Milliners, 
Tailors and Tailoress's stylish ladies aud courtly gentlemen and a few 
seemed my ideal of perfection. But we were squeezed to death, are sleepy 
and heartily tired. The Dr. says " Uncle Solomon has had a good Supper 
and I have had none." We enjoy ourselves much in this great and splen- 
did City. Good Night, Elizabeth V. R. 

Miss Adeline Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

Grand Canal Ball. 

" The celebration of the completion of the great western canal was 
closed on Monday evening, November 7th — by a fete, equalled only in 
magnificence by that given in honor of La Fayette. The ceiling of the 



Legacy of IIistohical Gleanings. 429 

spacious aniphiiheutre was elegantly decorated witli festoons of evergreens, 
flags and bunting, while the sides were hung with the silk banners and 
emblematical paintings exhibited in the procession on Friday last. An 
immense mirror, consisting of tliirty pier glasses without frames and 
accurately fitted together, was elevated on the wall at the west end, while 
the farther end was occupied by boxes filled with ladies. Notwithstand- 
ing the immense size of the room, the largest in the United States, it was 
filled to excess, there being, as is supposed not less than three thousand 
persons present, including one hundred and fifty guests, among whom 
were Governor Clinton and lady. At twelve o'clock, a large curtain 
which was suspended between the rooms was withdrawn and disclosed 
an elegantly decorated supper table, fully covered with the greatest variety 
of delicacies, as well as more substantial fare. In the middle of the table 
fjincifully floated in a large vase, a canal boat most beautifully ornamented. 
In one of the rooms a collation was spread for the invited guests. Every- 
thing was conducted with the greatest regularity and attention ; the 
ladies were dressed with great splendor ; the music was excellent and 
plenty of it ; and every one seemed to participate in the joy of the occa- 
sion, where beauty vieing conspicuously with elegance and wit, contributed 
to the enlivening and genial enjoyment of the scene. As a gratified 
participator in this festal scene was DeWitt Clinton, the principal sup- 
porter of internal improvements. He, the earliest advocate, whose suc- 
cessful career drew all eyes towards him, was spared to see the completion 
of his cherished scheme." 

Mrs. Van Rensselaer to her GMldren. 

My dear Children, Buff"alo, June 26, 1826. 

* * * We spent a pleasant day at General Wadsworth's charming home 
in Geneseo, our reception wastruly cordial and the two old heroes lived 
over by gone days. My whole trip so full of incidents has kept me in a 
whirl of tumult. I have gone over many noted places, and seen many 
persons both at, and since leaving the Falls, adapted to excite thrilling 
emotion in my heart. 

I was in the house of one of the boatmen who rowed your Father across 
the Niagara, the morning of the notable battle; it was an interesting 
meeting for both parties. We rode over the ground where he was en- 
campt in 1812 and halted at the very spot, on the ridge road, to which he 
was taken after he was wounded. I was much agitated but he was per- 
fectly calm then ; but once as we lingered on the battle ground, the sudden 
outbreak of, " Oh if I only had not been wounded, the victory gained 
would have been trivmphant" — showed the deep workings of the soldier's 
heart, as he turned away with a groan and his hand pressed on his foreiiead. 
We remained all night at Lewiston, visited the old Fort at the mouth of 
the river: then crossed the Niagara and went to the British Fort George. 
I could almost see that body of Indians sally forth to join in the battle. 
After dining at Queenstown, we went to the memorable " landing place," 
and stood in deep thought on the very stone, at the foot of the rapids, on 
which he jumped from the boat to ascend those almost perpendicular 
rocks to the Heights. The evening before, I had walked in company with 
your Father to the spot where he embarked from the American side. We 
strolled along leisurely and your Father staid sufficiently long at all these 
celebrated places to refresh his memory with every circumstance that had 
occurred on that memorable day ; and as we retraced our steps, you can 



430 Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings. 

imagine how my feelings were moved with pleasurable excitement, and 
how well satisfied I was with the hours spent at these wonderful sites. 
We made a solemn halt for sometime at Brock's Monument which is still 
unfinished ; every thing was so forcibly suggestive of past stirring scenes, 
and I could not help seeing how vividly all seemed to come across the 
nobleman's remembrance. The extensive view from this summit is very 
grand, having a sight of country for at least fifty miles. Our next turn 
was about half a mile west to the battle ground at Lundy's Lane, which 
left us just time enough to go below the Falls on the Canada side. We 
bad a good view of the Horse-shoe Fall with its mass of deep emerald 
water, it was indeed magnificent; but the spray was not so pleasant to us 
or good for our clothes. The following morning we left to visit the Burn- 
ing Spring; stopped to see the battle ground at Chippewa about two miles 
from the falls. We crossed the Niagara river in the same ferry boat, to 
Black Kock, with General Peter B. Porter, who was particularly civil. 
I was very happy to witness such a cordial meeting between the two 
Generals; old grievances were laid aside, and seemed entirely forgotten 
by both ; it was the rare triumph of magnanimous minds, which gave me 
pleasure. In a day or two we leave this for Ohio. I feel well repaid for 
all the fatigue of our journey ; and we felt very glad to meet and receive 
much kindness from another old friend, Dr. Cyrenius Chapin, of this 
pleasant place. * * * Good Night. Your affectionate Mother. 

Miss Adeline Van Kensselaer, Albany, N. Y. ^^- ^^^ Rensselaer. 

Post Master General to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Sir, Washington, July 13, 1826. 

In your late tour you have probably had a good opportunity to learn 
something of the public sentiments on various interesting topics. Will 
not Mr. Clinton be elected without much opposition ? If the State should 
refuse to do this, its loss of character would be greater than his. I am 
sure that the Bucktails are not hostile to him, at least they like him much 
better than some of the members of the family at Washington. The Clay 
bubble in New York, in making a government is not to be feared. The 
power only is wavfimj. How does the administration stand in New York ? 
Would Mr. Adams take the vote of the State if the election were at hand ? 
What is his prospect of taking it when the proper time shall arrive ? 
Will the mode of your election be changed to a general ticket ? If no 
change should be made, will not the vote be divided? Who stands in 
the way of Mr. Adams? What is the standing and prospects of the 
Secretary of State in New I'^ork [John Van Ness Yates, Secretary of 
State.] Has Mr. Calhoun suffered much from the events of the last ses- 
sion 'i Your friend, 

John McLean. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany, N. Y. 

"Our principles are those of Republican Americans, we love our 
country, we venerate its institutions, and our whole hope and wish and 
thought of glory, is centered in their success. In our dreams have we 
seen our National Standard, 'flag of the free-heart's only home,' wav- 
in*' aloft in the azure sky, flaunting its stripes and its stars above the 
wreathed clouds and floating proudly o'er their silvery folds, the beacon 
light to guide the world to liberty and independence ? " 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 431 

Post Master Oeneral to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washinyton, Sept. 14, 1826. 

To your private note I should be at a loss to reply, had not a gentle- 
man told me the other day, that this same Caleb Afwatcr, who is the most 
profligate creature in regard to truth, within my knowledge, was giving 
currency to a report, which he originated, that I was exerting myself in 
behalf of Gen. Jackson and was circulating the Telegraph paper, to aid 
his election, throughout the State of Ohio ! A more infamous falsehood 
was never uttered. To Atwater I have never written one word on this 
subject, or to any one else in Ohio, or out of it, which I would not be 
willing to have published to the world. I have sent the Telegraph occa- 
sionally to my two brothers in Ohio, one of whom was on Adams' electoral 
ticket, and the other voted for him in the house of representatives. I 
have sent this paper to no other person. No man in Ohio has heard me 
express a wish on the presidential election, in favor of any one candidate. 
In fact, T have been specially guarded on this subject, knowing that Mr. 
Clay and some of his friends are very hostile to me, and would willingly 
assail me with effect; they denounce all, who do not support the Secre- 
tary of State [Henry Clay] for President next term. 

Long before the late election, I broke off all correspondence with At- 
water, except once or twice to make a general reply to several long letters 
he wrote me. He is a man, who pays not the slightest regard to truth. 
You may recollect, that a few days before the late election, he had hand 
bills printed and circulated through many parts of Ohio, charging Mr. 
Adams with being a gambler, and that he played cards constantly on the 
Sabbath, and was addicted to many of the most abominable vices. I think 
his name was signed to the hand bill. Where he is known, nobody 
believes him. He has no influence, and so far as his conduct may have 
an effect on the next election, it must be unfavorable to the candidate 
whose election he espouses. I have said more about this foolish report 
than I intended. Perhaps, I may be mistaken, and he has assailed me 
as prostituting my office to advance the election of Mr. Adams. Here he 
would be equally at fault. I have a higher object, than to. become the 
tool of any man, a sense of duty, I trust, will ever influence me. 

Your friend, 

John McLean. 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Esqr., Albany, New York. 

P. Master General to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Washington, 28 November, 182(5. 

I find a letter writer in New York, agrees with you, that Mr. Adams 
will take the Vote of your State — the letter is published in the enclosed 
paper. Your friend. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Esq., Albany, N. Y. John McLean. 

Hon. Caleb Atwater was a member of the house of representatives 
from Ohio. He was one of the committee on schools and school lands. 
In May, 1822, he was appointed by Allen Trimble, Ks<(uire, the then 
governor of Ohio, one of seven commissioners in regard to schools, he 
was appointed for congress lands. The seven commissioners accepted and 
five of them entered on their duties, and assembled at Columbus, the seat 
of government, in June, 1822. They organized their board, with Caleb 
Atwater as their chairman. The board proceeded in their labors, day 



432 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

after day; their room became the centre of attraction for all the lovers 
of learning, who visited the seat of government, during that session of 
the state legislature, and a system of education for common schools was 
established for the new state of Ohio. 

Horrible Assassination. 

" One of the most horrible instances of deliberate assassination that we 
have ever been called upon to record was committed in this vicinity on 
Monday evening May 7th, 1827. The particulars of this transaction are 
as follows. Mr. John Whipple, of this city, whilst writing at a table, 
about nine feet from the window, in a back room in the second story of 
the dwelling house on Cherry Hill, a mile below the city, between nine and 
ten o'clock at night, was fired at through the sash with a pistol. The ball 
passed through and shattered a pane of glass, entered the body of Mr. 
Whipple through the blade bone of his left shoulder, cut one of the 
principal arteries of the heart, and lodged in the right lobe of the lungs; 
he barely exclaimed, " My God !" rose and walked a few steps to the head 
of the stairs, and there fell and immediately expired. The murderer ap- 
proached his victim by clambering on the roof of a back stoop, and firing 
from it diagonally at the short distance. A young gentleman — Mr. 
Abraham L. Van Rensselaer — was sitting in the room with the deceased; 
bat in the confusion of the moment no pursuit could be made, nor were 
any measures taken until information was conveyed to the police of the 
city. The steps of the villain are plainly visible on the roof of the porch, 
as is also the flash of the powder on the frame of the sash. 

Mr. Whipple was in the prime of life, industrious, enterprising, and 
fair in all his transactions. He was respected as a valuable and intelligent 
citizen. He has been cut off' in the midst of his usefulness, leaving a 
bereaved widow and an interesting young son to lament his untimely fate. 

Mr. Whipple returned from New York on Sunday night, where he 
had completed an advantageous contract, connected with the Budson and 
Delaware canal, in the construction of which he had participated largely; 
and was at the moment of his death arranging his papers for a departure 
from the city yesterday morning (Tuesday). He was often from home 
for weeks engaged in his business transactions. As it may well be con- 
ceived an affair so atrocious and so unusual amongst us, has excited great 
feeling and indignation. 

A person by the assumed name of Joseph Orton, arrested on suspicion 
of being the murderer of Mr. Whipple, was fully committed for trial. The 
trial commenced on the 26th of July and concluded on the 27th, when 
the jury rendered a verdict of guilty. On the 4th of August he was 
brought in and sentenced to be hung on the 24th of the same month be- 
tween the hours of twelve M. and three P.M. Joseph Orton confessed his 
real name of Strang to .John V. N. Yates whom he desired for his counsel. 
Mr. Yates, however, declined. He then employed Mr. Calvin Pepper, 
an eminent and able lawyer, to whom he made a confession, whom he re- 
quested to go and remove the rifle, lest it should be found. He confessed 
to the jailer, Mr. Becker, that he had committed the murder and that 
Mrs. Whipple was the loliule cause and projector o/ it. 

Jesse Strang, the sou of a respectable farmer of Westchester county, N. 
Y., deserted his wife and two children the latter end of June, 1826, and 
arrived at Albany under the assumed name of Joseph Orton. In the 
latter part of August he hired himself to Mr. Philip P. Van Rensselaer — 



Leoacy of IIisToiucAL Gleantnos. 433 

wliosc family consisted of ten or eleven persons and he resided at Cherry 
Hill, the house where the murder was couiuiitted. In this liouse hoarded 
John Whipple and ins wife. Strang- made a full confession to the grand 
jury, iiivinii the horrid recital with much minuteness accompanied by such 
circiuiistanees, as left no doubt of liis <^uilt. Tn his disclosures, Stranjj; 
implicated his paramour, Mrs. Elsie 1). Whipple, and cliarsied her with 
having instigated the murder, also as having acted with him in all its 
stages, by furnishing the means of purchasing the rifle, the glass ibr trial 
of the effect of the ball, &c. He got on a shed and saw the curtain had 
been rolled up as Mrs. Whipple had promised to do. He put the muzzle 
of the rifle close to the lowest pane of glass in the sash, took very ddiberate 
aim at the upper part of Whipple's left breast and fired. He then jumped 
off the shed, ran to where he left his bundle, threw it, the gun and 
boots over the i'ence, went to a ravine and hid the rifle in the sandy mud — 
stamped it down and covered it with leaves. After which, crossing the 
fence he joined the crowd of people on their way to the scene of murder. 
Strang went for the coroner, was one of the coroner's jury and carried 
down a cot from the garret on which he assisted to place the corpse. The 
pane of glass when broken by the ball was a most correct profile resemblance 
of himself He was taken by the police ofiicers to the ravine, to whom 
he pointed out the spot where to find his socks used on the occasion and 
the rifle. Mrs. Whipple ' was arrested in June and held in custody in 
the prison, having been indicted as accessory; but however criminal her 
conduct may have been in other respects, no proof exists of any participa- 
tion on her part in the murder and she was accordingly acquitted. Po- 
tential influence was exerted in behalf of the unhappy woman and she was 
sent forth to bear her life's burden. 

The old double, spacious mansion at Cherry Hill, having separate en- 
trances, was well calculated for two families who could live entirely dis- 
tinct from each other. The north half, at this time was still occupied 
by the widow of the revolutionary quarter-master general, Philip Van 
Rensselaer (deceased March 9, 1798), with her sou Kilian and daughter 
Maria M., subsequently wife of Jacob S. Glen. The south half was the 
residence of another son of the widow, Philip P. Van Rensselaer and 
family. The wife of the latter gentleman being an aunt of Mrs. Whipple. 
Mr. Van Rensselaer had died very suddenly a short time previous to the 
murder of iMr. Whipple. The general opinion now was that, by means 
of arsenic, he had been deprived of life that the way might be clear for 
other operations. 

Among my " Scraps of P]xperience " is a panoramic view of those har- 
rowing scenes. 1, a little girl of not ten years, had been staying for two 
or three days with my grandmother at the north side of Cherry Hill, and 
being I'ather homesick, was not a little rejoiced when one sunny morning 
I saw my father, in his gig, drive up to the door with the Plon. Herman 
Knickerbacker of Schaghticoke, seated by his side. When their visit to 
the venerable lady was made, I begged to be allowed to return with them, 
but my father rather put me off, saying they were " not immediately going 
home." The kind reply of Prince Knickerbacker is still affectionately 
remembered. "Never mind, general, that is easily managed; let the 
child go with us, it will do her no harm." A ready acquiescence having 

' lu 1829 Mrs. Whipple was married at New Brunswick to .Mr. Freeman. 
55 



434 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

been given, I was soon prepared, and seated on the prince's knee we were 
in the little chaise wending our way to the city, no one happier than my- 
self. Soon to my dismay we drove up to the jail and alighted, I felt no 
fear as we ascended the stairs, for clasping my father's protecting hand, I 
could have gone to the muzzle of the cannon if he was to light the fuse ; 
the very novelty of my surroundings only caused a little flutter. At the 
request of the gentlemen the barriers were removed ; the ponderous door 
being unlocked slowly moved back on its hinges, and we were in the 
presence of the unhappy criminal, Strang, who was chained to a strong 
iron staple. There was a momentary gleam from his defiant eyes, and 
then his unquiet gaze turned again to the Bible he was reading when we 
entered the room. My heart thrilled with horror at the remembrance of 
the atrocious deed that had placed him in this grated cell. It was a ter- 
rible scene to see the imprisoned one whose manhood and moral nature 
had been so fearfully corrupted and wrecked ; who was stimulated to pro- 
ceed in the current of evil with an irresistible drift, by a very fair, beau- 
tiful but frail woman, till he murdered without compunction at least one 
human being possessing many noble traits, pouring out his life blood to 
satiate lust. After a time we went to Mrs. Whipple who had been as- 
signed by the jailor, rooms on the same floor; she occupied an apartment 
adjoining Strang's. Mrs. Whipple was in u recumbent posture on her 
cot ; dressed in an elaborately trimmed white cambric, her soft, glossy 
hair of extraordinary length floated over her shoulders. There was some- 
thing indescribably attractive in her fair face, and indeed she looked lovely, 
and really seemed much distressed when she recognized her visitors. With 
breathless stillness I took in the whole scene, and forcibly realized the 
isolation and helplessness of one, who was born a lady, but had by frivo- 
lousness and vanity sold her birthright. The poor captive exerted herself 
to regain her self command, and resolutely checked the hysteric sobs, I 
remember how, while struggling even to agony, she lifted her streaming 
eyes, and poured out her heart, conversing with an enthusiasm and per- 
sonal power that kindled pity and heartfelt sympathy in the breasts of 
the gentlemen. " There is nothing that touches feeling like feeling itself," 
and it was honorable to humanity that her peril should have stirred these 
large-hearted gentlemen to vigorous exertions to save this woman from 
the fearful jeopardy that then seemed inevitable. 

The execution of Jesse Strang, a wretched victim of his own passions, 
for the murder of John Whipple took place August 24, 1827. A multi- 
tude of at least thirty thousand witnessed the execution; the site was 
Beaver street hollow, a short distance south of the Capitol. The valley 
where the execution took place was surrounded by a number of hills, 
capable of aftbrding to each spectator a perfect view of the gallows. At 
one o'clock, precisely, the wretched criminal was seen to issue from the jail 
escorted by the Albany Artillery companies, and attended by the sherifi", 
Conrad Ten Eyck, the jailor, sheriff^s officers and the Rev. Mr. Lacey. 
Strang appeared dressed in a long white robe, trimmed with black, 
black gloves and shoes, and wearing on his head a white cap, also trimmed 
with black ; preceding him, in a wagon drawn by two black horses, was 
placed his coffin, which was enclosed within a pine box. He followed on 
foot between the clergyman and the sheriff, with firm and undaunted, 
steps; and on arriving at the gallows, he immediately, unassisted, 
ascended to the platform, where Mr. Lacey read to him the church of 
England's burial service, Strang joining him fervently in prayer for God's 



LEGACr OF IIlSTOIUCAL GLEANINGS. 435 

»iercy and grace. Strang made a briel" address to the spectators, express- 
ing I) is contrition. Strang himself (irew the cap over his face. The 
knot slipped to the back of liis neck, his neck did not break, and his 
suflPeriugs were apparently long and painful. The body was taken from 
the jail and put on board the steam boat and conveyed to the residence of 
his father and fomily in Dutchess county. His brothers and sisters waited 
on him the day before the execution to bid him a last and eternal farewell. 
The poor and afflicted father could not bring himself to bear such a mode 
of separation, he left Albany three days previous. Strang left a wife and 
two children. 

The trial of Jesse Strang after he was indicted, at a special Court of Oyer 
and Terminer, held in the Capitol, Circuit Judge William A. Duer, presid- 
ing, was a time of intense excitement. Many of the surging multitude 
came in the wantonness of mere curiosity, to see one who.se career was 
brought to this untimely end by crimes that could admit of no denial ; 
others came to see that neither force nor fraud should fru.strate the supremacy 
of abiding law and that one who could not restrain his hands from needless 
bloodshed should pay the penalty. By taking the life of a human being 
when not required by God, a man forfeits his own, and ought, in obedi- 
ence to the divine requirement, to be put to death. " Whoso sheddeth 
man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." This was designed to be 
another safeguard of human life. Meanwhile there were others present 
whose hearth was desolate, whose hearts were crushed with anguish be- 
neath this terrible ordeal, they were bowed down by sorrow and there 
could be no relief Yet in the midst of all their trouble they ever can 
hear those gracious words " My grace is sufficient for thee." 

" Governor De W^itt Clinton expired on the evening of Monday, 
February 11, 1828, aged 59 years. He was born in the village of New 
Windsor, March 2d, 1769. His father. General James Clinton, was 
a brave and useful officer in the French and Indian wars, and in the 
revolutionary struo-gle. His uncle, George Clinton, was governor of New 
York state when Be Witt commenced the study of law with Samuel 
Jones, Esq., and was elevated to the vice-presidency of the United States. 
In 1798 De Witt Clinton was elected a member of assembly from the 
city of New York, and in 1800 was chosen a senator and then by a joint 
ballot of both branches of the legislature, he was elected to a seat in the 
senate of the United States, where he took an active interest in the 
concerns of the country. Clinton early became a strong partizau in favor 
of the Erie canal, and it is owing to the bold stand he took in this great 
enterprise that his popularity in a measure was owing. In the summer 
of 1810, he went on a tour with other commissioners for exploring the 
route of this work. This country was then comparatively a wilderness, 
and there was not a house where the city of Rochester now stands. De 
Witt Clinton's person, in his youth and early manhood, was remarkable 
for its masculine beauty, and as years advanced a.ssumed a majestic 
character. His stature was upwards of six ieet, straight, large, robust and 
finely proportioned ; taking him all in all, he was the best looking man, 
that this nation ever produced. He was devoted to literary and scientific 
pursuits, and was an efficient patron of learning. His writings place 
him high in the ranks of science. He was an eminent statesman, an 
elegant and profound scholar, and a practical citizen. The news nf 
Governor (Minton's death caused great sorrow to his numerous friends. 
The sumun)ns came without scarcely a moment's warning, whilst he was 



436 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

sitting in his chair, in his study, in the midst of his fiiniily, conversing 
with liis sons. The first indication of the approach of the attack being 
the falling back of his head upon the chair, and life instantly left him; 
the lapse between that niouient and the arrival of Dr. Bay was not more 
than ten minutes. Gov. Clinton's fame will live after him. The cause 
of his sadden death was the rupture of a blood vessel at the heart; a pain- 
less, and speedy extinction of life. 

" The funeral took place on Thursday, February 14th. The day was 
ushered in at sunrise by the discharge of cannon, which was repeated every 
half hour until sunset. The two houses of the legislature proceeded in a 
body to the mansion of the deceased. The hearse was covered by a superb 
canopy, and drawn by four white horses, their heads decorated with black 
plumes and their harness trimmed with crape. The horses were led by 
grooms properly habited, with white turbans on their head. 

" At the vault military honors were paid them in the presence of an 
immense multitude of spectators. The side walks, windows and roofs 
were thronged with people, many of whom wore badges, of white satin 
ribbon, bearing a miniature likeness of Clinton. Colors of vessels at the 
wharf were displayed at half mast. A solemn knell which announced 
the moving of the procession fell with sorrow on many hearts; the clergy 
and physicians with scarfs, the minute-guns, masonic honors, military, all 
tended to render the scene solemn and impressive." Rev. Dr. Ludlow, 
in the absence of Rev. Dr. Chester, prayed. The shock, when told of 
the death of that noble man, and the funeral spectacle comes up forcibly 
to my mind; my childish love for the great, majestically tall, handsome 
and good governor, my father's true friend, was very strong, for he mingled 
playfulness and mirth in his familiar conversation with the little ones. 
Valuable mementoes given by Mrs. Clinton, after the governor's death, 
are still preserved and cherished in our family. 

The charter for the Hudson and Mohawk rail road, the first in America, 
from Albany to Schenectady was passed by our legislature at the session 
of 1826. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Interesting Letters from South America. 

Oen. Harrison to Oen Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, New York, Sth Nov., 1828. 

I am extremely glad to hear that you have determined to commit your 
Son to my care. It will be his own fault if the trip does not pi'ove bene- 
ficial to him. He will acquire an accurate knowledge of the French and 
Spanish Languages. See a great deal of the world, by the necessary inter- 
course with the Diplomatic Agents with which he will associate, become 
intimately acquainted with a most interesting country, whose relations 
with us are becoming more and more important to his country, and should 



^ 




//: //r //rt/y^^^/r^'^' 



Legacy of Historical Gleaninos. 437 

he choose to devote himself to that pursuit, lay the foundation of future 
employment in the Diplomacy of the nation. Indeed he will acquire 
knowledi^e which will be useful to him, in any avocation he m.iy after- 
wards engage in. A tine young man of the name of Jiunker, a friend of 
the Mr. Henry Oiidon, whom I mentioned to you. will leave this for 
Hogota in about two months, he has been there before, speaks the Spanish 
language and is well accjuainted with the route, I would advise you to send 
your son with him. Hy the time they arrive, I shall have commenced 
housekeeping, being in the meantime (until my furniture arrives) obliged 
to live in the house of a gentleman who has invited me, for there are 
neither taverns nor boarding houses in Bogota. You must fit him out, 
and frank him to me, after his arrival I will pay all his expenses and 
return him to you. A plain blue coat with the Diplomatic button, which 
can only be got in Pluiadelphia is all the uniform he will require. If 
that button cannot be got (it has an Eagle with an olive branch, in one 
talon, and a thunderbolt in the other) the button of the marine corps will 
answer. Mrs. Van Rensselaer need not fear the climate of Bogota, it is 
as healthy there as in New York. Nor can any political commotion in the 
country affect us. In hoste. Your friend, W. H. Harrison. 

Genl. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Post Master, xllbauy, N. Y. 

In 1828 General William Henry Harrison, the hero of Tippecanoe, 
was appointed by President John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts as 
envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the republic of Colom- 
bia, comprising the vice-royalty of New Grenada and the late captain gen- 
eralship of Venezuela. He accepted this appointment and repaired without 
delay to the scene of his duties, where he was received with every demon- 
stration of respect. He found this unhappy country in a deplorable condi- 
tion ; the people ignorant of their rights, and almost in a state of anarchy, 
and General Simon Bolivar apparently about to assume the despotic power 
of a military dictator. Shocked at this state of things, with the frankness 
of an old soldier, he wrote his celebrated letter to General Bolivar after he 
was superseded. To every sentiment traced in that letter each republi- 
can heart could respond and could not fail to appreciate the philanthropic 
motives of the writer in its dictation. It is a well known fact that prior to 
the late revolution in Colombia, every North American estimated Bolivar 
as a pure patriot, and all who visited this country carried with them a 
strong predilection in his favor, but this confidence in the republicanism of 
the chief was not well founded. Gen. Harrison observed for himself and 
did properly estimate the different tales he heard in favor of, and to the 
prejudice of Bolivar. A soldier himself, he (iu his own words), "could 
possess no feelings but those of the kindest character towards one, who had 
shed so much lustre on the profession of arms" though he regretted the ill 
advised policy which led him to aspire at a sceptre. Before leaving iVmerica 
Gen. Harrison requested that the son of his old friend should join the 
mission. 

My brother, Rensselaer Van Rensselaer, left Albany on November 30, 
1828, in the steam boat Constellation, Capt. R. G. Cruttendcn, and sailed 
from New York city, on December 4th, in the brig " Tampico, " Capt. 
Fish, " under a hopeful flag and a promise of a happy voyage. " His ob- 
ject being to join William H. Harrison, the United States minister pleni- 
potentiary at Bogota the capital of Colombia, South America. The fol- 
lowing descriptive, private letters, penned by the thoughtl'ul and observ- 



438 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

ant traveler, for the home circle of " loved ones," in his own graphic 
bold, oflF handed style, without hesitation as to choice of words or lan- 
guage, were written in that southern peninsula forty-five years ago. They 
will be found interesting and instructive as making us better acquainted 
with the natural features of the country, its productions, ceremonies, go- 
vernment and religion, as delineated in scenes and occurrences which fell 
under his immediate observation. His connection with the diplomatic 
body, also, gave him ample opportunities to become well informed regard- 
ing this country ruled by the rod of Spanish despotism. A region so 
varied in aspect and exquisite in beauty, of which but little was known at 
that early period, that the human mind, even now is "successively sur- 
prised with the sublime and astonishing works of nature where rivers of 
amazing breadth flow through beautiful and widely extended plains, and 
where lofty mountains, whose summits are covered with eternal snow, inter- 
cept the course of the clouds and hide their heads from the view of mor- 
tals." Yet despite the conflicts and hardships of travel, with its perils 
both in the valleys and mountains, beautiful spectacles were seen on every 
side, all of which added their quota to that enjoyment which his capacity 
for description traced as he observed Nature in all her various garbs. It 
is also a very highly favored part of the globe, compared with the other 
great divisions, as it respects the salubrity of its climate, the fertility of 
soil, and the value of its natural productions. 

" The surface is greatly diversified. The western part consists chiefly of 
elevated table land, crowned by chains of majestic mountains; it is tra- 
versed by the jbides, at a distance varying from fifty to one hundred and 
fifty miles from the western coast; the most celebrated summits of which 
arc within Colombia, and they have been seen at sea, at the distance of 
one hundred and eighty miles from the shore. A number of these ele- 
vations are volcanic, and a great many of them clothed with snow. They 
abound in natural wonders, as stupendous precipices, impetuous torrents, 
picturesque cataracts, , and frightful chasms. The torrents and chasms 
are often crossed by rope bridges. The highest summits have an aspect 
of unrivalled sublimity, their elevation carrying them above the region of 
the clouds; and below their snowy tops, the storm is seen to burst: 
and the exploring traveler hears the thunder roll, and sees the lightning 
dart beneath his feet. Between the difl'erent ridges there are extensive 
plains of great I'ertility and beauty, well cultivated and populous. 

" The Andes are said to derive their name from the Peruvian word anli, 
which signifies copper. They are composed in great part of porphyry, 
and abound in precious metals. The Andes, too, are a great nursery for 
birds. Among these the condor is the most remarkable, and is the largest 
bird that has the faculty of flying in the air. Its wings, when extended, 
measure from twelve to sixteen feet; and it soars to the height of more 
than 20,000 feet; it is of the genus vulture. Many parts of South Amer- 
ica are extremely subject to earthquakes, and for the sake of greater secur- 
ity, the houses are commonly built of only one story." 

Oen. Van Rensselaer to Gen. Harrison. 

My Dear Sir, Albany Dec. 1st, 1828. 

My Son — Major Ilensselaer Van Rens.«elaer of the Militia of this State, 
sails on Monday next to join you in South America. I do not wish to say 
any thing in his favor, lest you should be disappointed in your expecta- 
tions of him. He goes from here fully equipped and must do as you and 



Legacy of Historical Gleaninor. 439 

I (lid — provide for himself. We had not when poor boys, of about the 
same age, dear friends to take us by the hand. He has already learnt 
from uie to love you; and thus much I may venture to say, that you will 
find him to possess a considerable share of talents, integrity and lirmness. 
Any difficult business you put him upon, he will if poss/Y^/e execute. To 
my God and to you, luy old friend, I commit him with my blessing, the 
only legacy I can leave him. He takes with him a negro boy, raised in 
my family, as his body servant ; they did not wish to bo separated. The 
boy — named Cato — says he will be of no expense to Master Rensselaer; 
he probably may be of service in your family, he is a pretty good waiter, 
hostler and gardener. My Son will stay a short time at Baranquilla with 
the Messrs. Glen of this quarter — early friends — to learn the Spanish 
language. That your Mission may prove honorable and profitable to our 
dear Country and yourself, I do most sincerely pray. 

I am dear Sir, your old friend, 

Sol. Van Rensselaer. 
His Excellency, Major Genl. William H. Harrison, 

Minister Plenipotentiary, Colombia, South America. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his Father. 

Dear Father, ' New York 2nd December, 1828. 

My plans so far have succeeded, and Dr. Van Rensselaer's arrangements 
will enable me to effect the rest without difficulty. The ship will sail to 
day — Tuesday, but precisely at what hour, I cannot tell, until I hear from 
John Glen who has gone to see the owner about it, she will probably leave 
about one o'clock. Glen does not go with us — but remains a little longer 
in this country before he returns to his Southern home. This ship does 
not touch at St. Martha, on her way to or from Carthagena at all. We 
will travel on mules from the latter place to Baranquilla, which will give 
us an opportunity of seeing some of the country bordering on the sea 
coast. Glen gives me letters to his friends in Carthagena, but I shall not 
remain there longer than is necessary, nor any where else until I get home. 
Cato's first attempt at acting the lackey and as valet de chamhre augurs 
well for the future. I preserve an inflexible gravity as he t?nes to make 
himself generally useful ; he is always good natured and cheerful, and is 
really more expert in his new calling than I anticipated he would be. He 
is as anxious as myself to commence our new career in South America. I 
feel very sanguine of success there, and do really hope that you will always 
think the same for I will use the utmost diligence in the path of duty. 
I know your fondest hopes and affections are centred in me (they are re- 
ciprocated) and a determination to think me doing well, will make you all 
happier. 1 o'clock — Passage paid, and about going aboard the Ship. I 
shall write you again by the Pilot when aboard the packet. My best, my 
tenderest love to my dear considerate and affectionate Mother, Sisters and 
all. Relieve me gratefully and sincerely yours. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. Renss. Van Rensselaer. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his Father. 

Brig " Tampico " New York Bay, 
Dear Father, (3ff Staten Island, 4th December, 1828. 

Owing to the difficulty of getting the crew on board, we did not leave 
New York until 9 o'clock this morning, but we are now under fine head- 
way and will soon be outside with this favorable wind. The bustle of 



440 Legacy of Historical Gleaningp. 

departure aud the noisy preparations of tiie crew overhead, which although 
attractive to uie for its novelt}', does not permit my ideas to flnw copiously. 
I therefore consider it peculiarly fortunate that I have not a great deal to 
say now. The Doctor and John Glen have been very attentive aud kind 
to nie. The Diplomatic hutfons were given me yesterday, they are very 
different from those of the Marine Corps. Of course I'll have tlifm put 
on instead of those I had ordered in New York. Don Glen has given me a 
host of letters for persons in Colombia, which will make for me plenty of 
acquaintances in my travels. We have but one passenger besides myself, 
a French gentleman from Panama who speaks the Spanish language very 
fluently, he will be quite an acquisition as company and useful to me in 
my studies aboard. 

10 o'clock A. M. Off Fort Lafayette. 

The Captain says, there will be no stop now until Carthagena picks us 
up, and suggests the propriety of my closing letters. I coincide with him 
in it, not only on account of the shortness of the Pilots stay aboard, but 
there is a sort of an indigenous sensation within, (caused perhaps by the 
motion of the vessel) that bids me finish soon, or it will raise a tumuU 
that will prevent all letter writing, but I will anticipate it. We have a 
prospect of a fine run, the wind is fair and off the coast. All this good 
brig wants in case of a gale is plenty of sea room, which we will soon 
have, as we are sailing triumpliantly onward. You need not apprehend 
any danger, I do not ; the sea sickness I would rather court than shun, 
so cheer up each one keep a good heart, and all will yet turn out well. 

% past 10 o'clock. Sandy-Hook Light-house just by, the Pilot leaves us 
soon. My qualmishness has already left me. I must now close. Cato 
does stand it well, and is delighted with all he sees in the sea route. 
God bless you all — all ; bushel baskets full of love to all inquiring 
friends, don't forget Rykeman. Yours ever sincerely, 

Gen. Sol. Van llensselaer, P. M., Albany. R. Van Rensselaer. 

" It was regretted that South America so beautifully formed and en- 
riched by the hand of nature had, by Spanish oppressiveness, so long 
been prevented in their abject depression from all improvement or the 
population of a country which might have supported millions of beings in 
afliuence. A set of avaricious men have successively drenched with inno- 
cent blood those widely extended plains on this vast peninsula." Colom- 
bia, the temporary home of our travelers, is a very extensive country, 
comprising all the northwestern part of South America, and is composed 
of the Old Spanish vice royalty of New Grenada and Carracas or 
Venezuela, which were united and formed into a republic in 1819. The 
former, extending along the I'acitic ocean from the isthmus of Darien to 
Peru, is bounded on the east by the latter which comprises a triangular 
territory, lying between the Amazon river and the Carribean sea nearly, 
if not quite equal to that of the United States. The two regions are sub- 
divided into departments, and into provinces or states which represented 
in a congress assembled at Rosario de Cucuta, in 1821, according to an act 
of confederation and to a constitution modeled in niany respects after our 
own. After confirming the election of Gen. Simon Rolivar to the pre- 
sidency it established the seat of general government at Santa Fe De Bo- 
gota. 

For a time every appearance indicated the speedy establishment of a 
happy result to the tremendous struggles of this brave and chivalrous 
people for independence ; but in the practical test of some of the provisions 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 441 

of their new Constitution many inconLrruities and inconveniences were man- 
ilcsted. The vMiBculties and expenses of travelin^^ throuji,'h such a very 
mountainous country, for the high court resident at the capital, it appeared 
so forniidahle to applicants for claims or for justice, as to be deemed equi- 
valent to a denial. A spirit of discontent was thus early engendered in 
several portions of the republic, and the host of military officers (who 
for near a dozen years had enjoyed the fascinating pomp and circumstance 
of war, either cloyed with the monotonous duties of the peace establish- 
ment, or piqued at the fancied slights evinced towards tliemselves in the 
distribution of the lucrative offices), did all in their power to encourage 
it, in order, as they hoped, to promote their own ambitious views. Conse- 
quently, instead of being at leisure to remedy their defects, the govern- 
ment were harassed by a succession of conspiracies, for the suppression of 
which nearly all their time and resources were requisite. In the intervals, 
however, conventions, for the purpose of compromising the causes of colli- 
sion between the different states, or between state and government, were 
called. Owing, however, to the extreme diversity of sectional interests, 
and to invincible jealousy, it was apparent that nothing eff"ective could 
be done and that the integrity of the confederacy could not last. Vene- 
zuela first seceded and formed a government by itself. The south western 
states of New Grenada next promulgated their act of separation, and 
designated as the "government of the Ecuador," under their President Gen- 
eral Flores, are now waging a ruinous war against Colombia. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his Father. 

My Dear Father, Carthagena S. A. December 28, 1828. 

My last dated the 4th sent ashore by the pilot, left our staunch little 
brig scudding away finely past Sandy Hook at the rate of 9 knots per 
hour. We lost sight of the noted Highlands of Navesink at twilight; the 
wind continuing fair we reached the Gulf Stream on the 8th and 9th. 
There we had a touch of what the sailors call " dirty weather," and were tost 
about handsomely ; the few sails we had set, gave a rapid headway. The 
pitching and rolling motion of the vessel, increased the sea-sickness which 
had first grappled with me at Sandy-Hook, and held on for several days. 
I was not well during the whole voyage, and at times was truly most ex- 
quisitely sick. But as I took the Captain's advice, in " taking aboard all 
the provisions I could stow away," as soon as the taste arising from the 
discharge of the old stock was forgotten, I did not lose so very much 
strength or flesh as might have been expected. And now a residence in 
the harbor in still water, or on shore, has awakened a most voracious ap- 
petite, an indulgence of which has made me feel as strong as I ever did. 
Cato was sick but once, and that was, during the height of the gale. Af- 
ter the 9th we had passed the Gulf Stream and found smoother water, 
with light winds. Indeed we were often becalmed for a short time, but 
made head-way every day ; the lightest day's work was 45 miles. On the 
14th we had tlic gratification of speaking a brig, in Lat. 25° 50', Lon. 68'^ 
30', a pleasure it was indeed to see others, besides ourselves on the wild 
trackless ocean. Dec. ITth and 18th found us nearing the dreaded Mona 
pa sage ; all hands were now earnestly employed in putting our armory in 
condition to give any Pirates, that might be there, a suitable receptiou in 
case of any attempt to molest us. We had two six pounders aboard, but / 

50 



412 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

owned most of the small arms ; however, we passed close by the shore of St. 
Domingo on the 18th without interruption. 

The beach is very similar to that of ]jOug Island, flat land of a light 
sandy soil ; on the side we passed, was hilly, covered with a growth of low 
verdant bushes, they looked well to us. After reaching the Mona, we 
were favored by the trade winds, which wafted us gaily on our course. 
While in the neighborhood of the West Indies we had frequent rain 
storms accompanied with dangerous gusts, sudden and violent tempests of 
wind, rain, thunder and lightning, but a sharp lookout enabled the 
experienced captain to foresee their approach, in time to avoid the effect of 
the furious swelling of the sea. On the 22nd we reached the port of 
Carthagena, of which, the town, vicinity &c. I will write from Barran- 
quilla. Edward Glen was in town, but just in the act of leaving, with a 
lot of goods, when the Captain and Custom House officers went ashore 
with the letter-bag ; but as part of his horses had already started, and 
being anxious to overtake them, he was obliged to leave without 
seeing me. He yesterday sent back horses for me, with which I start 
to day, immediately after dinner which is now coming on the table. 
I intended to have deferred writing to you till after reaching Glen's 
residence, as the Tampico does not leave here till the lOth proximo; 
but as a letter might miscarry, I thought best to have two " white 
winged messengers " on the way for your satisfaction. This one I'll 
leave with the Captain and send the other by mail express. They are 
loading the horses so I must hurry. The Climate within the 
tropics is hot enough here in all conscience, a continual and scorching 
heat, but just now the weather is as moderate as with us the last of June. 
The general character of the people is as described by John Glen ; as far 
as I now see they have a mixture of pride and laziness combined with 
avarice ; but I feel as sanguine as ever of doing well here. My love to 
all. Yours as ever, Hens. Van Rensselaer. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to 7ds Fatlier. 
My Dear Father, Barranquilla S. A. Jany 1, 1829. 

I little thought two months since that the last day of 1828 would leave 
me at Barrankelia, but so it is, and now having told you where I am, 
after wishing you my honored Father, my own dear Mother, Sisters and 
kind friends a great many happy returns of this day, will (as my letter 
from Carthagena was written in such haste) waft you back again to Lat. 
25.° 50.' Lon. 68.° 30,' where we were Sunday Dec. 14th ult. speaking the 
brig " Louisa of St. Johns," from Trinidad bound home ; the wind was 
fresh, we barely had time to exchange the usual inquiries of " What's 
your name ? " " V/hat'syour Longitude ? " " Where from ? " " Where 
bound ? " we passed each other so rapidly. Our hailing first, gave John 
Bull the last word and though he improved his time, I could not under- 
stand a word of the long yarn he was spinning when leaving us, but our 
Captain thought he said something about the Mona passage, and supposed 
he might have warned us against pirates. The next day the sea was too 
rough to allow us to overhaul our armory, but the day after, the cartridges 
were made for the 2 six pounders, for my fire arms &c. The only sword 
on board was put in my hands ; in Cato's a Spanish knife about two feet 
long, which with anotlier knife and pistol, comprised our means of defence, 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 443 

under the nianagetuent of ten men and a Frenchman. The ni<i;lit before 
we roacihed the passage, the Mate came below, and told us of a black look- 
ing schooner on our lee quarter. He had seen her some time, but did not 
call the Captain until he was sure of its being a vessel ; we all watched 
her closely but the Frenchman who was sick in his berth. 

Says the Captain to his Mate, " Does she gain on you ?" — " Yes sir." 
Capt. " Well then Sir, we'll try her speed, out with the studding sails." 
Mate, " Aye, aye sir " — " Out with the studding sails boys, be lively now." 
" Aye, aye, Sir," the crew respond, and the additional sails were soon spread. 

Our brig, which e/i passani, is a good sailor, yielding to the impulse, left 
the stranger, merchant or piratical craft, in a short time and just then the 
trade wind struck and was fair for us till wo reached Colombia. We passed 
so close to the Island of Hispaniola or St. Domingo that wo could see 
nothing of Porto llico or the Mona Islands. The squalls of wind, 
accompanied by heavy showers of rain, are very frequent and dangerous 
in the West Indies at all seasons, the duration is short; if not guarded 
against in time the effect is fatal. On the 18th we lost sight of St. 
Domingo, and on Sunday 21st the high peaks of the Nahuange mountains 
in South America appeared bearing south of us (our course being South 
West). These are visible an immense distance at sea, rising above the 
mist or fog that hides its base from the sight; their sombre shade con- 
trasted with the beautiful azure sky, and the white mist spreading below 
till it reaches the dark blue ocean, gives it a very singular appearance, to 
persons accustomed to the monotonous view only on the boundless main. 
As we proceeded on our course, the Sierra or mountains of St. Martha, 
(from the sight of which we had been excluded by the intervening 
Nahuange) meets our view. They are 14,229 feet high, their tops covered 
with perpetual ice and snow ; upon which the sun shines, in all his 
splendor, long after he has buried himself from our gaze in the deep, 
giving them a resemblance to immense bodies of crystals suspended in the 
air. Those glaciers reflecting back the prismatic colors caused by the rays 
of the sun at twilight, from high above the clouds which clothe its base 
and rests upon deep blue ocean, has a magical effect upon the eye of 
the seasick wanderer. 22nd. Our course after first making land is parallel 
with the coast, but we did not keep near enough to distinguish any thing 
save the mountains, until we approached Carthageua, where La Papa, the 
only hill of consequence in the vicinity, shows itself about a mile North 
East from the City crowned with the remains of a dilapidated Nunnery. 

We passed the City about 4 o'clock, on our way to Boca Chica, or the 
sinall entrance to the harbor, nine miles South West of it. Boca-Grande 
or the large entrance three miles from the Town, was closed by the 
Spaniards during the revolution as the width of the passage rendered its 
defence very difficult. 

Carthagena looks extremely well in passing by, its appearance from sea 
is better than from any other quarter, it is the principal seaport town. 
The wind was very light when approaching the land, which was a fortu- 
nate thing for us ; although there is a good anchorage for vessels in the 
bay, which is seven miles wide, yet there are many shallows and hazardous 
spots. In consequence of the darkness of the night we struck on a reef, 
about 9 o'clock, near Boca Chica, and the vessel heaving and sinking 
with the light swells of the sea would have soon beat to pieces if those 
waves had been heavier. As it was the Captain, although alarmed for 



444 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

the safety of his vessel, displayed the same equanimity of mind (hat he 
did " when floods of water poured from the clouds with a prodigious im- 
petuosity," and the same composure exhibited during the whole passage. 
At the same time his orders were obeyed with a right good will liy the 
entire crew. I had never seen even our Frenchman display so much 
alacrity, he was out of cabin in an instant after the first thump ; and when 
the boat was let down, to carry out an anchor by which to warp the brig 
out, he was the first man in it; and in spite of the assurance of the Mate 
that he should not be left behind, in case we went to pieces, he remained 
there till the heavy anchor was dropped in deep water, and did not come 
aboard again till the last of the men had left the boat. The poor fellow 
was in real trouble, but for my life, I could not but laugh at him whilst 
he was in the boat. 

Cato had tried the pumps as directed, and they soon sucked and the 
vessel was proved stanch. Monsieur Bosquet was standing by the pumps 
and shortly after hearing the noise caused by the air rushing in to fill up 
the vacuum caused by the receding water, he made a spring towards me, 
and getting hold of my arm, exclaimed with tears in his eyes, " O mon 
Dieu ! Mr. Vdlencid, Monsieur Valencia, nous serous j^erdu !" i.e., ''^ 
my God ! Monsieur Valencia (as he called me) we will be lost. 

I explained the cause of the noise he had heard and pointing out the 
short distance we were from land said we would be saved. The rising 
moon enabled us now to distinguish the shore, but that would not pacify 
him, he could not swim, and we were on a sharp rocky bottom; that some 
of the shaggy points could certainly go through the vessel and sink us he 
was quite sure. Jus^ then I found by the lead, which I was holding, 
that the heaving on the anchor started the brig and passed the word to 
the Captain " she moves." " She moves boys, heave away," says the 
captain from one end of the capstan ; " She moves, my bullies," says the 
]Mate from the other. All hands now appeared to have received new 
vigor from the news I had imparted and exerted themselves accordingly. 
The Captain who had taken tlie lead corroborated my report, and a new 
hand at the pumps pronounced her a "sound ship." The cry was echoed 
aloud, and all hands on board, but the Frenchman, manning the windlass 
brought the vessel up to the second anchor, when a favoring blast filling 
our sails we soon left our dangerous berth. At eleven o'clock we came 
to anchor under the guns of the forts at the mouth of Boco-Chica. The 
Forts are about half a mile apart, strongly built, well garrisoned and stored, 
of a circular shape, mounted with two tiers of heavy gitns. The Spaniards 
have confined in them a number of persons supposed to have been con- 
cerned in the disturbances at Bogota, among whom is General Santander, 
Vice President. 

Having for eighteen days been accustomed to hear the roaring of the 
elements, and hum of the seamen about me only, on that night the period- 
ical cry of the Sentries on the walls of the castles, the tolling of the bells, 
the twittering of the pelican and other birds, the barking of dogs, together 
with the melodious tones of the jackass on shore, formed such " a 
combination of sweet sounds" that I being naturally fond of music, could 
not think of sleeping five minutes at a time during the night, although I 
felt fatigued not only from my exertions the evening before, but from the 
operation of a heavj' dose of salts, of which / had taken a good one, (not 
by any means forgetting to give the same to Cato.) On December 23rd at 



Leo AC Y OF Historical Gleanings. 445 

7 p. i\i- a Pilot came on board and conducted us into tlie liarbor as the 
assistance of a good pilot, auiid till the uiany shoals, is quite necessary. 
We passed the (34 gun ship " Columbia" fitting out for the coast of Peru, 
(since gone), another national vessel of the same size, together with three 
other smaller ones lie in the harbor dismantled and going to decay. The 
water here is so smooth that ships feel no more motion than they would ia 
a river, while a great variety of good fish abound in the bay. Near one 
of the forts on Island Tierra Bomba (or Round Land) which forms one 
side of the fortress, is a small handet, three miles oft' is another containing 
a Lazaretto and a Monastery. Back of the first, the ruins of an old castle 
tends to diversity the scene ; near the last, the first indication we have seen 
of cultivation is manifested in a field or two of maize and yams. To give 
you Cato's description of the village houses, they look like "so many 
straw thatched barns." The port is nine miles long, varying from 
one to three miles wide, is a good harbor for shipping with plenty 
of water and land locked. The land surrounding it, though uneven, does 
not in any point attain a great elevation. 

At eleven o'clock we dropped anchor one mile from the town, a nearer 
approach being impracticable for large vessels from the shallowness of 
the water. A boat of revenue officers soon came aboard ; after examining 
the Captain's papers, and sealing up the hatches, departed leaving one jf 
the number on board to prevent smuggling, also directing passengers not to 
land without a holata or permit from the police. That day I sent a letter 
of introduction from John Glen to an Irish jontlemon by the name of 
Kinsella, as Mr. Glen had led me to suppose that he would do any 
thing for a friend of his, but being engaged on a courting expedition is 
too much of a soldier to forsake his post, to procure boleta's for strangers. 
I therefore after sealing up a second letter to McPherson the American 
Consul sent that ashore, tvho having had some difficulty with the civil 
authorities there (he had been imprisoned by them, the correspondence 
arising from that circumstance with General Montillo, President Bolivar 
and Mr. Clay, he afterwards showed me and is preparing a statement for 
me to take on to Gen. Harrison), could not attend personally to it, but 
gave the business in the hands of a New Yorker by name of Kelly, who 
took all the steps for getting me ashore. Whilst waiting for my bolcta, 
I observed the manner of discharging a vessel's cargo. The freight is 
taken to the Custom House (where everything landed is examined) iu 
large canoes or hungos — hunghra would be a more appropriate name for 
they are such clumsy looking things ; are manned by a patron or captain 
with three or four men, will carry from 1 to 8 tons. The natives when 
at work wear pantaloons only, frequently they substitute for the " fig 
leaf" a handkerchief their whole dress — many of these strong limbed 
fellows would serve as good models to the sculptor for his chisel to form 
from stone. 

On Christmas morning I first landed in Colombia, and had the honor of 
a presentation to all the police magistrates, and to the Commandant Gon. 
Montillo. After having passed through with that ceremony, my own per- 
sonal access to the shore was secured, but the grand difficulty was to pro- 
cure the same privilege for my baggage. An order, for that, was necessary 
from the Custom House, and a passport for my departure from the City 
into the interior. All of which was accomplished by aid of Mr. Kelly, 
together with M. Juliet (formerly of the Troy Seminary) and a Monsieur 



446 Legacy of IIistouical Gleanings. 

La Batte (entire straugers to me), after waiting in vain for the promises 
of Kinsella to procure them for me to be fullfilled. During the time I 
was employed in getting my papers, I heard of a gentleman's — called Burke, 
intention of going on to Barranquilla, and sent him word that I would be 
happy to accompany him. He returned as answer, that he designed to 
start on Saturday evening the 27th, and would be extremely glad of my 
company. In consequence of which I detained the horses and guide, 
that Edward Glen had procured for me, at a heavy expense ; however, 
when the day arrived Mr. Burke, who had neither thought proper to call 
upon, or send me word about it, was not yet ready ; and as I did not know 
when he would be, I left Carthagcna the next day alone. I was advised 
to wait for him, but I told Mcl'herson and others that iVIr. Burke's com- 
pany was as little desirable to me as mine appeared to be to him, and that 
I could travel without putting myself under any obligations to him, that 
if our situations had been reversed, luy conduct under the same circum- 
stances would have been different. The grand difficulty in procuring my 
certiiicates was in consequence of the holidays, a gala season in every 
sense of the word, when the entire community engage in feasting and 
masquerading to the exclusion of attention to business. My papers wci-e 
given as a matter of very great favor. 

Carthagena is situated on what was formerly a Peninsula, but the 
Spaniards in fortifying it dug a ditch, 85 or 40 feet wide across the 
Isthmus, to prevent sapping quite deep, inside of which the walls of stone 
arise 30 feet high and from 10 to 15 feet in thickness. The suburbs as 
they are called, though larger than the city, 'are secured in the same man- 
ner well fortified with wall and ditch. One bridge across each ditch serves 
to connect it with the mainland, these are of wood and can be destroyed 
with ease when necessary. 'I'lie whole line of fortification is ornamented 
with 24 pounders of copper, elegant workmanship, besides mortars &c. 
Haifa mile from the City walls, is the Castle of St. Philippe, it is situated 
on an eminence 150 feet high, it is also strongly fortified, and commands 
the town, it presents a grand appearance. Half a mile further in the 
same direction from the City, the hill of La Papa, rears its coronated head 
upwards of 500 feet above the sea. With a singular oversight the 
Spaniards, in their wisdom, when erecting works for the defence of the 
City did not tliink of fortifying it, in consequence the troops of Gen. 
Bolivar became its masters without much trouble during the revolution. 
From whence they securely cannonaded San Philippe, till battered walls 
on the land side affording no protection to the famished garrison, they 
were compelled to strike to tlie Colombian flag; after which its guns in 
conjunction with those on La Papa were directed upon the city. Whilst 
those land operations were going on. General Padilla (since shot in Bogota) 
taking advantage of a favorable breeze, run by the Forts at Boca Chica, 
in a small sloop of war, at night, anchored in the harbor and thereby cut 
off the inhabitants from the only remaining source of procuring supplies. 
Shortly after the City yielded to its assailants; but with provisions plenty 
the place is impregnable. 

After reporting myself to the civil authorities, being at liberty to follow 
the dictates of my fancy, I yielded to its impulse and followed the crowd 
to the public square in the heart of the City. Here the Magistrates had 
assembled to dispense Liberty, the greatest blessing of man, as a Christmas 
present to about thirty slaves of both sex and all ages. It was a most 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings: 447 

interesting sight; when tlie Cap of Fredloni was presented to tliem, tlie 
poor njortals eould not restrain their tears and the cry ol' Viva el Lihratnr 
and Vica la Rcjmbllca, burst from tlie crowd at the conclusion of the 
ceremony. The delighted freed men doffed their ordinary hats and having 
mounted their tri-colored caps, paraded the streets with the most grotesque 
demonstrations of joy. It was laughable to witness the ludicrous expres- 
sion with a broad grin on their comical faces and the spring halt sort of 
step with which they skipped along receiving the congratulations of 
friends. The sight gave a favorable impression of the Colombian people, 
particularly of the Manumission Society, with whose funds the freedom of 
those slaves had been procured. At the conclusion, my friend conducted 
nie to his house where I remained till the sea breeze set in, this wind 
comes only from two points of the compass and is almost as regular as the 
sun. This sea breeze sets in about 11 A.M., and continues till near sua 
set, when it is succeeded by the land breeze, which blows till 8 or 9 A. 
M. Between the changes the air is calm, while the sun sends down his 
almost perpendicular rays with such vehement heat, that the majority of 
the inhabitants seek the shelter of their houses, the thermometer at such 
times will rise in the sun to 150°, in the shade to 80° or 90°. Though 
I have been exceedingly careful of self, still in traveling have been at 
times necessarily exposed to the heat, at all hours of the day, but have 
not subsequently, so far, experienced any injurious effects i'rom the ex- 
posure ; on the contrary, I feel stronger and more rugged than I have for 
the five or six last years. The pain in my breast which was often trouble- 
some to me at home for that period, has not affected me in the least. I 
know not whether to attribute this to my severe sea sickness or to the 
climate, but imagine both have a " hand's share" in the good result. Cato, 
too, is as hearty as a buck goat. 

The houses of Carthagena are built of stone, and covered with tile 
roofs ; those of the wealthy class are two stories high with balconies, 
hanging over the street, with lattices of wood. The one story houses 
generally have two apartments, one of which is used as a parlor, eating 
and working room ; the other as a general sleeping apartment for the 
family. The hammocks for strangers are suspended either in the parlor, 
or in a shed at the back of the house ; every house has a yard attached 
to it, in the rear of which is a room for cooking and for servants. There 
are no ceilings and no floors except brick or cement and frequently only 
ground floors in the lower story. These houses are very singular and 
antique : the latticed or barred windows without lights, the immense 
thick walls and heavy doors give each one the appearance of a castle or 
dungeon, but when you enter, they are airy, cool and clean. The public 
edifices have the same heavy aspect; the (cathedrals are very richly em- 
bellished with furniture of the most costly description. The streets are in 
regular squares, but not very wide; not paved and of course, as the soil 
is sand, they are very dusty in the dry season. The population is about 
25 or 30,000 of every shade from the pure white to the real Guinea negro, 
the Creoles or contaminated class predominate over the unmixed, though 
the aborigines form the largest number ; there is a commingling of a few 
Europeans with Negroes, Indians and Creoles. The latter are the busi- 
ness class and generally thrifty. (Jolor does not seem to deteriorate from, 
or augment the respectability of any person, all as far as I have had an 
opportunity to observe are equal, provided they have the necessary .sAtHers ; 
here as with us " money makes the mare go." 



448 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The Festivities of the holidays, Las fiesta^ commence just before Christ- 
mas and continue ten or twelve days during which there is almost an 
entire cessation from labor, indeed for certain periods the law prohibits 
the transaction of business. Dancing and masquerading are kept up every 
night till dawn during the holidays on the public square, private balls 
are not then allowed. On the Square under the canopy of a large awning 
stretched on poles, spread for their accommodation, such a commingling 
of the " black spirits and white, blue spirits and gray," in their fanciful 
disguises is most astonishing. There surrounded by the mob who have 
free access, you see hundreds '" trip it on (he light fantastic toe," engaged 
in the giddy waltz, and at intervals breaking off to witness the explosion 
of some splendid pyrotechnical exhibitions. The richest class alone as- 
sume the mask, and probably the greater proportion attend without being 
able to bear the expense. Most of the ordinary dresses for the ladies are 
very costly and elegant; the prevailing head-gear is a large figured tortoise 
shell comb covered with a rich black lace veil ; gold neck ornaments, 
white gowns, figured silk stockings and satin slippers constitute the 
dress for all kinds of weather; bonnets are never worn because the climate 
here is extremely hot, and sultry during the whole year. The gentle- 
men's dress is a complete suit of white material with pumps. The young 
of the poorer classes run about the streets, with all the clothes that Nature 
gave them and no more. The ladies, in masquerading, appear more de- 
sirous to remain incog than to support any character as they do in Europe. 
For that reason I was not as well pleased as I had thought I would be ; 
some few of the Masks, however did sustain a character tolerably well. 
Among those was a North American Indian with his tomahawk, wampum- 
belt, knife and rifle, a very demure looking Nun ; a gouty Sexagenarian 
with two pretty daughters, both of the Senoras evidently were watching 
an opportunity of running away with some handsome lover. When they 
were dancing, the poor old man. scarcely able to see across his nose, would 
hunt for them till his cough compelled him to be seated. There was also 
a Monkey with his two keepers. The best of the whole company was a 
Bashaw with his Sultana ; they were richly dressed in Oriental robes 
and supported their characters to a nicety. I remarked to Capt. Fish as 
they passed by us, what I thought of them, and added, I did not wonder 
at his taste in confining himsell' to the society of one Seiiora, who could 
move and act the Sultana so well. In the next turn the Mask addressed 
me in Spanish with " How do you do Seiior Ingles," from which I in- 
ferred that he had understood my remark. I could not find out who it 
was, but from the height and figure supposed him to be a Mr. Bunch, the 
richest Englishman in the place, to whom I had been introduced. The 
masks seldom hail a stranger, or a person unknown to them, but always 
return a salutation. Sunday is the grand gala day for the amusements at 
which time a more general muster is made with much smoking of cigars. 
A corner of the same square is appropriated to the slaves for their use 
during the " Fiestas," who imitating the example of their betters, have 
their own fun in dancing the monotonous " fandangos " while the festivi- 
ties last. 

There is one custom in Colombia that does not suit my Yankee stomach 
at all, at all ! and that is to be content with two meals per day. It is a 
universal practice to swallow a cup of coffee at first rising in the morning ; 
the regular breakfast is taken at 10 o'clock it generally consists of coffee, 



IiEOACY OF IxlSTORTCAL GLEANINGS. 449 

bollos, fish, a mixed dish (made of salt meat, yaius, plantains, potatoes and 
other roots called Sun Cocho'), poultry &;c. Xt G o'clock i*. n. you are 
called t(i dinner of itiruinierable dishes of soup, fish, turtle, poultry, pork, 
and other meats which are served up in succession with a change of plates 
for each variety. Instead of bread and potatoes, we have fine yams and 
the "bollos," which is the substitute for bread wliere flour cannot be obtained, 
(it is a preparation from maize and is quite palatable, though not equal to 
our " staff of life.") The meal is finished with oranges, papaws, plantains, 
and other kinds of fruit, wines and a cup of chocolate, wliich is served up 
in a small quantity and is perfectly delicious. There is scarcely any twi- 
light owing to the vertical position of the sun, therefore our dinner is 
never finished till after dark, which sets in almost immediately at sunset, 
but at the conclusion of the meal we are furnished with cigars, which are 
here used by men, women and children of every rank, even in the ball- 
room, without regard to time or place from the cradle to the senile crutch. 
The road for a mile or two from the suburbs is well enough for carriages 
in use, and indeed the only one kind that can traverse these highways. 
Even these are used only by the most wealthy ; they are very clumsy sort 
of gigs, drawn by one horse, on which the driver is mounted ; the gig is 
calculated to carry three persons on its only seat, and it is well for the 
poor horses that the route extends no farther, as the weight of the ma- 
chine is load enough without a passenger. But poor as the conveyance 
is, the bare headed ladies seem to enjoy the drive very much. 

And now having for some days enjoyed the pleasant breeze from the 
Caribbean Sea we will return to the starting point. On Sunday 28th at 
4 P. M. I left the strongly fortified Carthagena, Lat. 10° 26', W. Lon. 75° 
26', accompanied to the outer gates by six or seven young Americans, 
where we found that the guard had stopped the guide with Cato and my 
baggage ; also had demanded a search (an operation it had undergone ia 
passing through the Custom House,) but after producing my Passport we 
were allowed to proceed without any further detention. After hearty 
adios from my Countrymen, who had kindly given every instruction they 
supposed ray guide might require, I soon lost sight of the dusty streets, 
lofty domes, the splendid Cathedral, the unfinished decaying Inquisition, 
handsome turrets and very thick walls of the principal seaport town in 
Terra Firma. [" This country was called Terra Firma, by Columbus, on ac- 
count of its being the first part of the continent which was discovered, all 
the lands discovered previous to this being islands."] 

The road past San Phillipe and La Papa (with its dilapidated Nun- 
nery, whose sanctity was not regarded by the Patriots), is very fine, but 
after thatj this public road is worse and worse. Two miles from the walls 
it contracts until it becomes no better than a sheep-path through the 
woods, than .like the great source of communication between a large sea- 
port and the grand interior. In many places the pools of water standing 
in the main road compel us to leave it, in doing so, we meander about 
among the stumps and trees before we regain the forsaken path, till we 
eke out the distance to four times the length it otherwise would have been. 
Of course our progress was slow, well ! so much the better, for now we can 
look at ourselves and our animals. First in line is the Patron or guide, 
he sits "in all his pride of place," between my two trunks with his legs 
crossed over the neck of his horse, looking more fit to carry the horse than 
the horse him, the tawny dog ! Next in rank is my noble self in corduroy 

57 



450 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

pantaloons ami short jacket, boots and spurs with holsters and pistols, be- 
fore me; not forgetting the indispensable /"an in my pocket, with a small 
portmanteau behind my borrowed saddle from Kelly. I was rigged out in 
style, for American saddles are as scarce as good horses. Cato brings up 
the rear; his pony is of the same tough, ambling breed as mine and the 
guides. On each side of his native saddle, which is nothing more than a 
saw buck placed on mats, are my two bags. He does not like the way of 
riding these horses, but has his legs straddling without the cross ; under 
him is my hammock and his mat, on his shoulders the gun. Our guns 
are all loaded. Cato has had his lesson, and being fully prepared in case 
of trouble we shall be able to show a pretty good fight. Now that you 
know how we look, we must tell you how we feel, strangers in a strange 
land, very much like cats in a strange garret. 

As I had never been in the country since landing in South America, 
every object was novel to me; nothing at all that meets our view is like 
what we have seen before. The houses are built of reeds, thatched with 
palm leaves; goats are substituted for cows, jacks for horses; (horses 
are as rare here as jacks are with us). Dogs look like wolves and cats 
like skeletons of things that have been. Birds, insects, trees, foliage, man- 
ners, language, all, all is new, but then being so strange and I of such 
a contemplative genius, the whole assemblage serves as food for amuse- 
ment and ^:)0M?' passer le temps. The guide laughs and swears by turns 
because I do not understand his Spanish lingo, but then I laugh when 
it pleases me because the stupid jackanapes knows nothing of pure English ; 
my revery is frequently broken in upon by his guarding me against some 
projecting branch whilst dodging among the trees. Our ponies are going 
on while I am moralizing, and ten o'clock at night finds us five leagues 
[15 miles] from Carthagena at the village of Turbacco, but the evening 
was too far advanced to be able to distinguish what kind of a place it was. 
I was both hungry and fatigued; at first there was some dilBculty in 
making my wants known, but what with my Spanish, signs, the landlord's 
broken French and the ditto English of a young gentleman, whose di- 
rection is Senor Buenaventura De Aleazer, (Phoebus ! what a name !) 
I finally succeeded very well. Seiior De Aleazer was very polite ;" after 
inspecting my Passport he informed me he was going to the United States 
as Secretary of the Colombian Legation. He gave me a letter of intro- 
duction to his brother who was a Secretary at Bogota, expressing a wish for 
a letter from Barranquilla to my parents, which I agreed to give. His 
instructions to my guide had the effect of making my journey much more 
pleasant than it would otherwise have been. 

At 3 o'clock A. M. when I arose to pursue my journey, my stranger 
friend also got up and over a gla.ss of his anise cordial bade me a kind 
" adios," and away I started by moonlight with grateful feelings that 
persons seldom experience after so short an acquaintance. About daylight 
we passed through the hamlet of Rebollera, one league from Turbacco as 
the road runs, but owing to the damage it had sustained from previous 
rains, we were obliged to take so many circuitous turns, that we trebled 
the distance. Two leagues further on we stopped to breakfast at Cana- 
veral, another pretty little hamlet. The road was better but still compelled 
to deviate from the direct path so frequently that it was ten o'clock before 
we reached the little village of Sipacoa distant about two leagues. There 
are no intermediate houses between these Ijamlets or villages, the space is 



Legacy of IlrsTOiiioAL Gleanings. 451 

covered with impenetrable forests, without water, which undoubtedly is 
the grand cause of its uncultivated state, for the soil appears to be good. 
Wherever water can be obtained you find as many inhabitants settled 
round, as it will supply through the dry season, and the whole stock of 
the little hamlet will consist of Jacks, goats, fowls and occasionally a hog. 
On leaving a village my guide always procured a good supply of the Cocoa- 
nuts for the sake of the water with which they are filled ; we found it a 
very necessary precaution for without the liquor of the nuts we might 
have wished in vain for a cooling nutritious beverage to quench our thirst 
while crossing this savanna or extensive plain. The road improves as 
we advance through forests of immensely large trees of which Mahogany 
claims pre-eminence, it drops its leaves twice a year, is bare noio ; the 
bark i-^ smooth, of a brown color ; the majority of these trees are larger 
in circumference than a hogshead, running up without mach tapering to 
the height of from 80 to 100 feet before it throws oul a branch. 

I was much interested at observing quite a cavalcade of jacks pass us 
loaded with planks of mahogany about twenty feet long, three inches thick ; 
two of those planks constituted a load for a pair of jacks. The patient 
brutes, with the ends lashed on either side of their respective pack saddles 
were jogging along in their sober pace, eight or ten in number, the driver 
on the last one bringing up the rear. It is surprising the weight and 
magnitude these poor animals carry for so great a distance without stop- 
ping — fourteen leagues without food or water ! 1 ! The Palm-tree bears 
ofi'the crown of beauty from the other forest trees ; it does not often attain 
to a great height, but its elegant leaves emerging from the very top of a 
straight, smooth and tapering body, assuming an oval shape of evergreen 
contrasts well with the naked branches of some of the lordly trees around. 
The leaves of the palm tree are used here for thatching houses, but at home 
as fans for the ladies. The perpetual verdure of the woods with its bright 
green foliage always adorn these grounds and is a most refreshing sight. 
At Sipacoa, the first Cocoa-trees are seen after leaving Carthagena, but 
now we meet with them in every village. The body of the Cocoa resem- 
bles at a distance the palm, entirely without branches ; it rises from the 
ground with a smooth and slightly tapering trunk from 30 to 50 
feet. They exactly resemble the feather of a fowl — but rather larger 
you will suppose — as they measure from the point to the end of the stem 
from ten to fourteen feet; they are also three feet broad and winged. 
Between these feathery leaves on the top of the tree the fruit is seen in a 
cluster of about a dozen, in every stage of vegetation from the bud to 
the falling cocoanuts. 

Black cattle and horses are rarely met till near Barranquilla, their only 
fodder is corn-stalks and a species of rush, but the provision for man is 
scarcely better. 

The plumage of the birds in these dense forests is superb, of very 
many varieties; the macaw or "guayamayo" is the mostelegantof all others, 
but its hideous scream is such a disagreeable noise as counterbalances its 
beauty. The many difiierent species of the parrot kind are found in per- 
fection with all their gaudy plumes. A small kind of black monkey is 
constantly seen. A small species of the wild turkey (r/iiacheraca) is also very 
common and is fine eating. I procured a number witii my fowling piece — 
which by the way is an excellent article for travelers in this country. At 
7 o'clock we dismounted at San-Estanislado, on the night of the 2Uth, a 



452 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

large village regularly laid out in squares, on one of the mouths of the River 
Magdalena, containing about 6 or 8000 souls. This place is five leagues 
from Sipacoa ; here we swung our hammocks for the night after suppiuij;. 
Dec. 30 at 4 o'clock were on the road again, and though it was night could 
not but be struck with the beautiful appearance of the cocoa tree with its 
conical figure when contrasted with the whitewashed cottages with thatched 
Toofs. At Agua Pablo six leagues further on we halted for breakfast. 
It is a place of considerable size, the houses of a uniform size and plastered 
over. It would amuse you to see me taking my meal in this village, the 
shed in which I am eating is detached from'the house, in one corner of an 
enclosure ; my landlord is one of the richest men in the village. His stock 
of all kinds is half starved, and all have free access to my table, which is 
a large bowl or flat bottomed " calaboza" turned upside down to suit the 
present exigency, next comes a calaboza pitcher of water, a calaboza plate, 
a calaboza spoon (but no knives or forks ; they recollect that fingers were 
made before them, and do not think it worth while to attempt any im- 
provement on Nature), calabozas for cups and ealabozas for dishes — 
now we've set the table, we'll show the "bill of fare." 

The first thing the guide did after swinging my hammock — which is 
always done at stopping places — was to procure a fowl, the neck was 
twisted, and before the poor thing was defunct it had lost its feathers ; in 
two minutes it was in tiie pot, and in ten more on ray table! I 
was too hungry to stop to consider the chances of its coming to life again, 
but ate away sans ceremonie, my hands performing the duties of knife and 
fork ; a calaboza spoon was used to convey the contents of a bowl (it was 
a very fashionable dish called " San-cocho — being a compound of salt 
meat, plantains, yams, sweet potatoes, onions, rice and juca) to the mouth. 
While the operation of mastication progressed, was very much annoyed 
by the group of naked children, famished dogs, cats and goats which were 
jostling and crowding to approach as near as possible to what they con- 
sidered my sumptuous banquet. The intrusion at last became so unbear- 
able, that to rid myself of the nuisance, I threw a single drumstick to be 
divided among the curs according to the most approved rules of canine 
justice. The ruse du guerre to rid myself of such a heterogeneous mass of 
foes as beset me, (now increased by ducks, turkeys, hogs, men and women,) 
vras indeed the occasion of a general fight, " Oh ! what a row, what a 
rumpus and a rioting" — the " din of war" was long and loud. 
The contending hosts went pell-mell out of one end of the hut whilst the 
"bone of contention" was removed through the kindness of a pig. At 
the commencement of the battle, much to my relief, men, women, children, 
goats and cats had scampered off in delectable confusion leaving me the 
sole possessor of the premises and the undisturbed partaker of my meal. 

At 2 o'clock we left this memorable spot and at 5 drew up at Sabana 
Larga five leagues from Aqua Pabelo. This is a beautiful large place 
and like all the other Colombian villages is tastefully laid out at right 
angles, it is of an oblong shape ; the houses of a uniform size and equi- 
distant from each other, covered with a cement and whitewashed ; a fine 
large yard is attached to each dwelling, in which are a number of elegant 
cocoas groaning with fruit in clusters between the leaves. My want of 
the Spanish here, was the cause of my making quite a mistake in directing 
the u;uide, when I wished to start on our route again. I meant to have 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 453 

said we iclll <j(> at two o\-Jock, but adding: a word more than was necessary 
to express luy nieaninj;, he came to me two hours after turning:; in, with 
word that he was all ready for a start, and away we went at eleven o'clock 
at night, but as the road was good, I neitlier regretted our short rest or 
speedy start. We passed through the Arrogo-Grande which is now nothing 
but a dry bed, but in the rainy season a turbid dangerous stream, a barrier 
to all travelers on this road. We met a large body of Militia going to the 
parade ground, at Malanibo, all mounted on jackasses. At Soladad, two 
leagues further on, we saw a large battalion of the same kind of troops, 
under review and drill. Tt is two leagues from here to Barranquilla, 
where we arrived about half past eight o'clock, A.M., fatigued, hungry 
and sleepy, having traveled thirty-nine miles without stoppajre. The 
same ride by day would have been impracticable from the heat of the sun. 

The guide took us up to the most elegant house I have seen in South 
America with its many trees for use and ornament as Cocoa, and Tama- 
rind ; after dismounting the baggage he was off, which gave me an 
opportunity of examining the premises. 

The dwelling is built of stone, with a terraced roof from which there is 
a fine view of tlie river Magdalena, of the distant snow-capped mountains 
of San Martha with its white peak 19000 feet above the sea, the village 
and surrounding country. The front of the building is of a chaste con- 
struction covered with white cement, the rooms five in number are twelve 
or fourteen feet high with stone floors — cool and airy — there is no second 
story. I was asking three or four slaves who had come out to get a sight 
of me, where Senior Glen lived, when the guide returned and Edward Glen 
with him, who cordially welcomed me to his house. " You are home now," 
says my old friend, " I will have your things put away and then for break- 
fast." After which he showed me to my apartments, where I found a 
bath ready and my hammock swung, I soon passed throju/h the first, and 
then mto the second where a comfortable snooze carried off all the effects 
of my fatigue. The Glens live in grand style, with three or four blacks 
to wait on the table and two or three in the kitchen. Edward has engaged 
a young man to give me lessons in Spanish, to commence to morrow and in 
all probability I will remain here till John Glen comes over. I am 
anxious to see him again, as he undoubtedly will bring home letters. 
Barranquilla is a large village containing about 6000 inhabitants. The 
houses are not as compact, nor are the streets as regularly laid out as 
most of the Colombian villages are, yet the place looks well, a number of 
tasty mansions, belonging to foreigners, built of stone cemented over and 
white-washed, of which Glen's is the most conspicuous, adds together with 
its ornamental trees to the beauty of the place. 

A branch of the Magdalena running past here empties in the sea at 
Savanilla seven leagues off; the water is sufficiently deep to bear away 
loaded vessels of 60 tons, a number of which belonging to the Glens are 
constantly employed by them in transporting goods up the river and along 
the sea coast. The larger boats are built of various kinds of timber in 
the strongest manner; the knees are stout and the seams are well caulked. 
The smaller sizes are from 20 to 80 feet long and from 2 to 8 feet wide ; 
tliey are all flat bottomed. These boats are propelled in absence of a fair 
wind by the Boga or boatmen's long setting pole, with a fork at the end 
to prevent its sinking too deep in the mud. I need not ask you to write 
by every packet, for you must be aware of the loneliness of my situation 



454 LEaACY of Historical Gleanings. 

here till the language becomes familiar, and can judge of my anxiety to 
hear of every little circumstance connected with home, every letter will 
be a treasure to me. 

I leave this with Kdward Glen in a week's time on a visit to St. Martha, 
distance 30 leagues for a day or two, and then after reaching Bogota will 
have sailed all of the navigable Magdalena river. I shall write you 
again before leaving this to join General Harrison, which will go over in 
the packet that brings John Glen ; this leaves by the vessel that I came 
in. Your letters after the receipt of this, should be directed to Bogota. 
I wrote to Gen. Harrison from Carthagena of my wish to remain here 
sometime, expressing, however, my readiness to join him sooner than I 
had contemplated if he required it, and now I hold myself prepared to 
" pack up my tatters," at a moments warning. I am careful of my health, 
but fear no difficulties nor the climate. The only news that I could glean 
here and at Carthagena is, that there are more persons concerned in the 
late disturbances at Bogota than was at first supposed, the arrests are still 
going on ; a person was committed to prison the day before yesterday in 
Carthagena. Popayan is in a state of commotion, the Capital in the 
hands of the rebels, Bolivar with the Southern division of the Army is 
marching down to defeat them, while the Peruvians iu large force are 
hastening to their assistance. 500 men left Carthagena, a few days since, 
to join the Liberator. All this makes the timely arrival of General 
Harrison at Bogota, a very desirable thing to the Americans in this un- 
settled Country. 

In traveling through this new, wild and comparatively unknown country, 
I keep a Journal of which my letters home are, in all important points a 
copy; if they are preserved, they may be amusing hereaiter and perhaps 
useful in case, that by accident, the original should be lost. Perhaps you 
will think it a meagre journal, but it is a task never before attempted by 
me, and I think or at least hope the numbers will improve. I will en- 
deavor at all events to be more systematical and connected. Long letters 
will keep up my acquaintance with my mother tongue, otherwise I might 
stand a chance of losing all knowledge of it since the Spanish language 
now engrosses all my attention ; by the way, it is quite as easy for me to 
acquire as I anticipiited, the pronunciation is the most difficult part. I 
must now close, having — as I hope you will in writing to me — filled my 
paper. T can only get letters from across the ocean once a month, then 
all write. Edward Glen is a fine, noble fellow; he says and also does 
Cato that I must not furget them in writing to those at home. 

Remember me to all. ^Vi,shiug each one a very Happy New Year and 
many of them. Most truly and sincerely yours, 

Renss. Van Rensselaer. 

General Solomon Van Rensselaer, P. M. 

Albany, New York. Estado Unidos del Norte. 




En^i »fF£SoZr.SS>ns.nTi>it"^ 



StU-^- 




Leoacy of Historical Gleanings. 455 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Ms Son. 
My dear Rensselaer, Albany January 18, 1829. 

<Men sails in a few days by whom I send this, I have procured your 
('oniniission and inclose it. I have also a tin box containint^ your masonic 
diplomas from the encampment at Hudson, this I will send down to New 
York if I find a chance. 

Charles E. Dudley is appointed a Senator to Congress. 

Governor Van Buren's trouble is commencing ; he is very friendly to 
me. He was at the Jackson dinner, and although my seat was some dis- 
tance from him, he asked me to drink wine with him and the same evening 
at the ball was very sociable with me. 

Chauncey Humphrey, Stillwell, Dr. Staats and Mahar arc candidates 
for my office, poor fellows they are ridiculed and laughed at; their leaders, 
as I am told, do not wish for a change, but I shall not trust to appear- 
ances. About the last of February I intend to visit Washington and 
trust to my own strength and influence with the old Hero. I may also 
be of service to my good friend Gen. Harrison. I shall at least know 
what he has to expect, oppose any measure that may be hostile to him and 
write the result to him, from that place. As they all write I have little 
more to say than to remind you that you are now thrown, as I was, upon 
the world ; you have powerful friends to push you along by their influence, 
but all must now depend upon yourself. To high Heaven I commit you, 
and trust that you may be a credit'to your name and Country is the prayer 
of your affectionate father, Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear Rensselaer, my heart says Amen to the prayer of your beloved 
Father, so I will only add, my greatest desire is that you will be guided 
by the dictates of the Third Chapter of Proverbs. Take good care of 
Cato. May God bless and preserve you prays your Mother. 

Arriet Van Rensselaer. 

Col. Rens. Van Rensselaer, Bogota, S. A. 



\ 



CHAPTER XXII. 

South American Letters Continued. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his Father. 

Dear Father, Barranquilla, Feb. 0, 1829. 

You see that T have given this letter a number 3, which will be done 
to all the regular ones I write home, it is a hint taken from Carter 
Harrison, by it you will know if any miscarry. I have sent you one 
from Carthagena, one from here and one from Santa Martha, the last is 
considered a kind of supplement to the others and not counted a regular 
one. I have been waiting the last fortnight with much anxiety to hear 



456 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

from home, as the January Packet from the U. S. should have been here 
then, it lias not yet arrived and hardly know how to account for its long 
passaj^e. We have had some tempestuous weather here lately ; a 
schooner's wreck with sailor's hats, &c., was driven ashore on the coast 
near this three weeks since. The frigate Colombia, which had taken to 
harbor in Santa Martha, was obliged to cut loose her four heavy anchors 
and stand out to sea, to avoid going to pieces on the breakers towards 
which she was driving in spite of all. She has since made the port of 
Carthagena good again. I hope that John Glen's vessel has waited for 
the December packet from this, if she has, a dangerous gale has been 
avoided ; but if she left at the regular time I should hardly think she 
would reach her place of destination. I shall remain here eight or ten days 
more, and then go on at all events. Edward G len does every thing to make 
my residence here pleasant, the fact of my staying so long is evidence of it, 
but still I want to be at Bogota as soou a^ possible. Since my arrival 
have been chiefly employed in studying the language, my proficiency is 
so great that I have but little difficulty in reading it, however my Yankee 
and French brogue in a measure prevent my understanding and being 
understood when speaking, yet I am well .satisfied with my progress. 

On the morning of the Gth ult. I went with Seiior Diego De Castro, a 
fine young man — the chief clerk of Mr. Glen, to Santa Martha. We 
left this in one of Glen's bungos about 3 o'clock A. M. Our bogador was 
a good one, he sent us along at the rate of four miles an hour ; our passage, 
a north east course, was through the chain of canos or creeks and lakes 
(between the Island Salamanca and the mainland) one of the latter is 21 
miles long and is called Cieuega De Santa Marta. The land on the banks 
was generally too low and flat to admit of cultivation ; but within 8 or 10 
miles of Barranquilla we would occasionally pass a rosa or plantation of 
plantains, paw-paws and sugar cane, but excepting these, the ground is 
covered with large trees of which the Mangrove is the most numerous. 
The loater on this route is covered with ducks, swans, herons, gulls, croco- 
diles, and the bittern which stalks among the reeds with its long legs 
and neck or feeding upon fish, it makes a most singular booming cry. 
The land is covered with a large headed red monkey, foxes, turkeys, the 
nocturnal guacharocas, plovers, snipe, other water and land birds of every 
color and description ; not forgetting the many parrots of brilliant plumage, 
with their hooked bill climbing the trees in every direction. These forests 
are also filled with tigers, deer, wild hogs, armadillos which when attacked 
roll themselves up like a ball, aunt eaters, &c. There is no great variety 
in the scenery along this water route, but on all the low ground incapable 
of tillage, the evergreen Mangrove tree with its dense foliage, excluding 
all other kinds, stands thick and high quite to the water's edge rooting in 
the mud, perfect forests. 

Where the land is tillable every variety of trees flourish in great luxu- 
riance, the very largest bearing beautiful flowers at certain seasons ; even 
now although many of the trees have dropped their leaves, yet the number 
of evergreens is so great that the forests are perpetually green and the 
aromatic odor of the blooming ones is delightful. The cultivated spots 
are "few and far between." We passed about five or six rosas or plan- 
tations and theij ai;e quite small ; the largest containing about fifteen 
acres. The one at which we stopped after daylight to cook saiicocho, to 
last us through the day, was in fine order. The plantain and banana trees 
grow in straight rows, the large clusters of fruit hanging on all; they 



Legacy of IlrsTORicAL Gleanings. 457 

stand about cij;ht or ten feet apart; the plantains are best wlien boiled or 
roastcil and (juitc palatable, but the bananas have a more excjuisitcjly, lus- 
cious taste, and are eaten raw, thougli smaller they are of the same s|)e('ies. 
Tlie trees which produce them are of soft pithy nature growiny eight or 
twelve feet high, after once bearing they are cut down; the suckers that 
spring up from its roots are suffered to grow and bear, after which they 
are served in a similar manner. The glossy leaves are about six feet long 
and one foot wide — the fruit is four or more inches long and over an inch 
iu diameter, covered with a thick peel. The papayo or papaw-trec grows 
something like the plantain, bearing a very sweet fruit resembling our 
musk-melon ; it differs from the plantain in bearing periodically, whereas 
plantain produces fruit from some one or other of the trees all the year 
round. Water and musk-melons can be and are raised here with a little 
care, as well as salads and other vegetables so as to have a constant supply, 
but the natives never think of replanting till the old crop is exhausted. 

The Juca a kind of potato but more tasteless, the yams ditto are here 
raised as well as corn, and sugar cane; the two last are scarcely distin- 
guished from one another when growing. The process of planting here is 
very simple, a hole is made in the ground the proper depth, the seed 
dropped in, covered and then left to itself; it would be a novelty here to 
see a hoe or any other instrument with which to mellow the ground ; they 
have not the least idea of a systematic mode of husbandry. 

I missed a great deal of fine sport by not having my gun with me, for 
the game was very plentiful, and it is seldom or never disturbed by the 
natives ; it is quite tame suffering us to pass directly under them. It was 
very aggravating to be so near the wild turkeys of several species, some 
are as large as our domestic ones, others smaller, the least about the size 
of the bantam fowl. Large white, grey and blue cranes are very plentiful 
and tame, now and then a grey fox, or an alligator would show themselves 
close by us. The only disturbance we met with was on the water from 
the mosquitoes, if they are not as large as ours, their numbers supply the 
deficiency, perfect plagues. When in the larger lakes we spread our little 
sail, if the wind proved fair ; but as that was generally against us the boat- 
man was obliged to set us along with a pole for they never use the paddle 
unless in deep water. Twelve o'clock at night we arrived at Peublo-Viejo, 
we anchored in the lake and spreading out our mats on the bottom of the 
boat slept soundly till day ; then we landed at the dirty little Indian village 
standing on a neck of land between the lake of Santa Martha and the sea. 
We were terribly annoyed by the sand flies, their numbers here are very 
great, and until an hour or two of their society had made me a little ac- 
customed to their ways, I found them almost insupportable, they are the 
first I had seen. 

This is 65 miles frcypa Barranquilla; we now hired horses preferring that 
mode of going the remaining part of the route to the difiiculty of proceed- 
ing by sea in the open canoe around some very dangerous points. One 
mile's ride brought us to the village of Cienega another Indian site, it was 
formerly a fine town but is now a wretched place. It was the scene of a 
famous battle during the revolution between the Patriots under Genl. 
Montillo, and the Royal Indians 3 the latter were beaten and their village 
burnt to the ground. 

Our ride from here to the hamlet of Gaira — six leagues, is mostly on 
the sea beach, excepting in some few places where the passage around 

58 



458 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

some of tl)e headlands is too liazardous, there we are obliged to leave the 
beach, and rise through tortuous, difficult, and narrow defiles over the 
points of the hills of St. Martha. These hills rise up very abruptly, close 
iroin the sea, to the height of. from 6 to 1200 feet and nearly barren, the 
trees being snjall and very scarce. The Snow mountains that we saw 
from sea are 60 miles back in the interior. ]Jetween Gaira and Santa 
Martha, two leagues apart, those hills are crossed over, but before reaching 
the place at which the ascent begins, you go through a narrow vale where, 
without a breath of air, the mid-day sun beat vertically down upon us in 
full strength ; while the white sand below reflecting back such an over- 
powering heat gave us a pretty fair idea of the vigor of the Sun when in 
the zenith. I thought it hot enough to roast a large round a-lu-mude-heef 
in ten minutes, and much feared part of my under lip was baked. I never 
enjoyed the fresh breeze so much as I did after leaving those sultry vales ; 
as we rose from the lower regions to the upper ones the pure air and fine 
prospect enlivened us and the horses so much, that it enabled us to pass 
swiftly through a similar valley, on the other side, without feeling the 
effects of the heat so sensibly. A pretty little stream from the hills to- 
gether with the bracing sea gales made the remaining half mile to the 
city very pleasant. We were delighted with the prospect as we halted on 
the top of the hills, perhaps 800 feet above the level of the sea, but it 
would be better still if the lands were as well cultivated below as they are 
under Mt. Holyoke or Catskill. But the ground is all in a state of nature ; 
its tenants are fierce tigers, deer, foxes &c. Santa Martha is situated in 
a sort of an amphitheatre formed by the surrounding hills, the inhabitants 
get a good supply of fresh hill water from the pretty rivulet which empties 
into the sea near it. The City is about one-fourth the size of Carthagena, 
the houses have the same heavy efi'ect as those of that seaport but not in 
so great a degree ; they are mostly one storied, built of brick or stone with 
veranda. Santa Martha is not a walled town but there are heavy batteries 
at the two Forts for its protection ; one on a high bluffy island, the other 
on the main shore on the beach ; vessels pass on either side of the island 
to enter the harbor. There was but one vessel in when I was there, a 
schooner from Boston. I gave her captain a letter for home. 

It was about 2 o'clock p. M., when we arrived here where we remained 
till the next day at 5 P. M. After dining twice with the family of Seiior 
Micio and breakfasting once with Mr. Severs the U. S. Consul, we started 
homeward ; our journey being principally in the night, by moonlight, 
was cool and pleasant. Although Peublo-Viejo, where we left our boats, 
was only 25 miles from St. Martha, we did not reach it till 12 o'clock 
owing to the rough roads, and just as we were about embarking a guard 
of soldiers surrounded and ordered us to remain till morning, and submit 
to have our baggage searched for contraband goods. Diego being known 
to them they accepted a bottle of rum as a passport, and we went on in 
the cool night and reached home the next day. 

Every village near a navigable water has a body of soldiers quartered 
in it, to prevent the smuggling that has been and is still carried on by 
all nations. My jaunt to St. Martha has been a very serviceable one to 
ine, posting me up as to what will be required in going up the river, and 
has convinced me that I can bear the heat and inconveniences attending 
the trip. I ride out occasionally with Edward Glen which has made the 
geographical situation of this section of the country quite familiar to me. 
Five leagues west of this is the tidy little village of Gallapa where we 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 459 

once rode to dun the priest for cotton. We saw one or two cotton Dsas 
on the road, they are badly cultivated, only one crop is taken from a piece 
of f^round, and then the squatters leave it for another virgin piece. (Jottoa 
and Indigo are the natural products of this sandy country, the first is 
raised in small quantities, the last not at all in this province. On the 
20th went with my very good friend to Savinilla the sea port at the mouth 
of this river, where he is now loading a Scotch brig with fustic and cotton ; 
in going we passed through Camacho. Laplaya to the custom house in tlie 
port and the fort at Point Savinilla terminated our ride. The Fort, so 
called, is eight leagues from home and nothing but a piece of ground 
leveled at the mouth of the port in a good situation on a promontory, 
which not only commands the entrance to the harbor but the back ground 
also, it now is poorly fortified and as badly manned, it has four large 
cannon Jiounted. Camacho and Laplaya are two hamlets being the 
dwellings of the proprietors of the immense herds of Black cattle that 
graze on the plains of their vicinity ; these savannas afford excellent 
pasturage for the congregated beasts. We were well armed in going to 
this fort and were in hopes of bringing home the skin of a lion that has 
been in the habit lately of eating up the goats at the Custom House, but 
were disappointed in not seeing him as was the poor old custom house 
officer. 

We are to have another huntio a few days, the party is to be composed 
of Edward, myself and Cato with two others and Salamanca is to be the 
scene of our valorous achievements against these " lords of the forest," a 
description will be added hereafter. The woods on this coast are infested 
vpith great numbers of wild animals among which are foxes, rabbits, hogs, 
deer and tigers. The tigers are very destructive to the goats and young 
stock — it is quite common for them to invade the door yards at night for 
booty — but at the sight of a man they flee to their fastness in the thorny 
underbrush, where they cannot be pursued ; but if wounded or provoked 
they defend themselves with desperation and are extremely dangerous. 
1 was much amused with the result of a contest between one of these 
tigers and a full grown buck negro. The point of contention was a calf 
in charge of the negro : it appears ihat the depredator, impelled by severe 
hunger, could not resist the passing opportunity of a fine fut yearling, but 
immediately reversing his usual time for such operations, left his mid-day 
lair for the onslaught. The coveted prey was soon on his back, and the 
victor marching off in triumph, when the pursuing negro seized the bellow- 
ing victim by one of his hind legs, upon which a trial of strength — last- 
ing some minutes, took place between the two champions. The four legged 
hero, finding his course impeded by^the woolly headed Sambo, released his 
captive to beat off the intruder. His first charge or leap was a gallant one, 
and Cuffee's story would have been a short and dismal one, but that 
fortunately he had a quick eye, strong arm, and the circumstance of his 
having a blunderbuss in his left hand occurring to him at the moment (a 
thing it appears he had entirely forgotten) wliich he presented, in the 
vigor of desperation to the breast of the raging tiger, with such effect that 
both recoiled back some feet without any visible damage to either. From 
the attitude of each of the belligerents now, it seemed as if both had 
acquired a formidable opinion of the prowess of the other as a result of 
the last attack. The tiger stood growling ominously and shewing his teeth 
at the disappointment: the excitement which had for the time being 
usurped the place of fear in the negro, at the first danger of his calf, now 



460 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

left him and for the first time he realized his own peril. He has a unn 
it is true but he scarcely knows its use; and as he turns to flee,' the 
treacherous tiger per-^eiving the intention makes another spring at him, 
and the affrighted black levels, this time fires and by a miracle shot true, 
the whole charge of slugs passing directly through the heart of the monster. 
The scene of this action was on the ishiud of Gomer opposite and one mile 
from Barranquilia. The slave is owned by Senor Antonio Mendoza who 
keeps Mr. Glen's cattle; the head of the ferocious animal which I saw 
was an enormous one. 

One more instance occurred in that vicinity during my stay, of a tiger's 
being successl'uUy encountered, single handed and that too by a gallant 
boy of sixteen years of age. He was out with his jackass for wood hav- 
ing with him only a lance; while engaged in loading his beast, hearing 
his two little curs bark, he looked round and perceived a large tigress 
descending a gigantic tree which stood near him. With the decision of a 
man he ran with his lance and pierced her through before she could reach 
the ground, and then went to discover the object of the dogs' attack ; it 
was a half grown cub, which after a furious conflict yielded itself prisoner 
to the young Nimrod. The boy's father proved himself a brute by kill- 
ing the cub and flogging the lad for what lie termed his temerity. The 
hides of both the tigress and her cub are now in the possession of Edward 
S. Glen. The dread of those tigers appears to be almost universal, I never 
could make up a party to hunt them for love or money. I once went out 
alone for six or eight hours but without any success. The extreme dull- 
ness of Barranquilla which I had a fair opportunity of testing whilst 
waiting three months, gave me plenty of time for study, writing and 
gunning. The paucity of game, among the shrubs of the sandy plains in 
the immediate neighborhood, compelled me, in the pursuit of my favorite 
amusement, to cross the Magdalena where in the vicinity of Mr. Glen's 
" rosa " the greatest number of ducks of the teal species, enliven the 
numerous lagoons of the Savanna groves, together with plover, snipes, &c. 
There I would frequently hie to pass an idle hour; the beauty of the 
grove was enchanting and the freshness of the sea-breeze wafted over the 
little lakes destroyed all the baneful influence of the midday sun. The 
rich bed of grass, with which the whole plains was covered, afi'orded the 
sportsman a fine opportunity of approaching unperceived as near the flocks 
of devoted ducks as he could desire; one or two shots generally gave Cato 
and myself as much of a load as we wished to carry a mile to the river. 
This place was visited regularly twice or thrice a week for a month or 
two, and every time with success, but at length a little adventure occurred 
which induced me, through motives of caution to discontinue my visits to 
that fascinating spot. 

Being one day intent upon getting in a favorable position for a fair shot 
at a fine large flock of ducks, and crawling as usual in the grass nearer 
the pond in which they sported, when almost within the desired distance, 
I was surprised aud alarmed by the sudden agitation of the grass under 
my " all fovrs." Withdrawing my attention from the ducks to discover 
the cause, imagine my horror at discovering a very large snake directly 
under me. The ducks of course were, at the moment, forgotten, and my 
first idea was to shoot the reptile but simultaneously Cato's machete or 
chopping knife occurred to me, for which I called and saved my ammuni- 
tion. Whilst Cato was approaching from the distance with his weapon, 
the snake was making off", but I followed to keep him in sight, till Cato 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 461 

catnc up. The serpent then stopped and threw himself' in attitude for 
battle ; a mure threatening object couhJ scarce present itself. About, three 
feet of its length protruded above the grass ; its fiery eye, the brandishing 
of its forked tongue with tiie quick opening and shutting of its ponderous 
jaws proclaimed its deadly rage. Cato made one misblow with the 
machete, the snake darted at him in return with like success. I then took 
the tool myself and was lucky enough to sever the head froui its body at 
the first stroke. The color was a beautiful rich cream color, studded over 
with small glossy black spots; it measured eight feet, and [afterwards 
learned that its bite is deadly and incurable. How I escaped touching it 
in passing over him on luy hands and knees is a mystery to me, he then 
was basking in the sun and probably sleeping ; if I had unfortunately 
touched him, one bite would have told my story. The danger at all events 
was too apparent for me as a prudent person to expose myself to a like 
hazard the second time ; I never went there for ducks again. 

On February 15th Edward received a letter from his brother John 
dated " New York Dec. 24th," in which he states hisiutention of return- 
ing by way of ►'^t. Thomas and Jamaica; this letter came via. Chagres, but 
does not lessen my apprehensions for his .safety, as he has had time to ac- 
couijilish all, but is not yet here As Edward thinks that John will 
certainly go on immediately to Bogota after his return, and being so 
urgent that I shall wait for liis arrival, I will now remain till the Febru- 
ary packet from New York arrives. Fabrnary 'iZrd. I was this day ex- 
tremely gratified by the receipt of an answer to my letter from Carthagena, 
of Dec. 25th to General Harrison. His letter dated Bogota Feb. 7th says : 
" Upon my arrival here evening before last I received yours &c." He 
mentions that his furniture had not yet arrived and of course had not yet 
commenced housekeeping, he concludes with : " If this letter should find 
you still at Barranquilla you can use your own discretion as to the time 
of your departure. Whenever you do come, it will give me much pleasure 
to receive you as the son of an old and highly valued friend." That let- 
ter has confirmed me in my intention of remaining some time longer here, 
for the sake of John Glen's company up the river. The General's letter 
of which the above is the substance, suits me exactly ; his reuuirk about 
his furniture is intended to give me an idea of his as yet unsettled state, 
and is as I take it, an indirect way of saying he is not yet ready to receive 
me, but notwithstanding he will be glad to see me for your sake at any 
time. 

March Si-d. Edward Glen last evening received a package of letters 
from his friends at home by the brig Medina, which left his brother at 
St. Domingo and is now in Santa Martha. Our fears are now at an end 
respecting John Glen, he will go to Jamaica before he returns. I am in 
hopes of hearing from our Consul at Carthagena, in reply to mine, regard- 
ing Gen. Harrison's furniture, still detained in the Custom House for 
duty, if my information is correct I shall put in a train to be sent on 
before I leave this. It takes two months for heavy or bulky articles to 
reach Bogota from Carthagena therefore my waiting will bo out of the 
question. The war with Peru is no more, it died a natural death after 
her vessels had been repulsed in an attempt against Guayaquil and a few 
companies of her troops were beaten on land by a similar number of 
Colombians. The insurrection at Popayan heatled by a discontented ('olonel 
has also been quashed. The Country is tranquil and its affairs evidently 
improving, a proof of which is that a certain proportion of its Exchequer 



462 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

bills are receivable now at the Custom House for duties, a thing heretofore 
not allowed, and General Bolivar's disposition to facilitate the connuercial 
intercourse with this country is manifested in his late order opening the 
Port of Savinilla for exportation. In consequence of Edward's pressure 
of business we have not been able to leave home for our lion hunt, and 
now as our preparations for the jaunt up the river take up all our tune, 
we will be obliged to lay that resolution on the table. John Glen has 
arrived but having touched at Jamaica, in his passage, he sent my letters 
on by the N. Y. packet and 1 now have the mortification and disappoint- 
ment to know they have gone on to Bogota. My exposure to the climate 
and the iSun has been frequent and intentional; after landing I used 
much caution in going out scarcely ever without my umbrella, but as I 
became more and more inured was less guarded, and now I feel as safe in 
venturing abroad without any extraordinary precautions as most of the 
natives. The only indisposition of any kind that I have experienced here, 
was a slight headache at Santa Martha after crossing its hills and confined 
vales, but an half hour's nap made me strong as ever, and now look for- 
ward to my passage up the river with pleasure. 

What an agreeable diversity I will experience in relaxation from study 
while going with the windings of the River Magdalena a distance of eighty 
miles and new objects constantly unfolded to my vision. This journey is 
an every day occurrence with Merchants, i'rom several of whom [ have ob- 
tained much valuable information in regard to this route; which together 
with the assistance of my good friend Edward have made myself familiar 
with all the requisites for it, and am now amply provided with every 
necessary and many luxuries for the trip. My boat is good and I have 
three of Glen's best men to man it, Cato and myself have mats, musquito- 
bars &c ; the awning of the boat is manufactured of leaves, impervious to 
sun or rain. Not having English or Americans aboard save Cato, will be 
an advantage to my Spanish for my crew speak no other language. I 
have been in the habit of exercising Cato with the broad-sword, by which 
I have not only made a pretty good swordsman of him, but improved my 
own knowledge of the science. It is a very necessary accomplishment 
here, as every native from necessity carries a machetta or long knife, 
without it he could never make his way through the underbrush of the 
forest; besides the machetta is substituted for the ax, hoe and spade, 
being therefore an essential instrument to every workman. It is not at all 
extraordinary tiiat strangers who have seen these natives so generally 
wearing them, should from that very circumstance form an unfavorable 
impression of their character. Indeed the ragged clothes and long beard 
of some of these fellows, make them appear the perfect counterpart of 
what Fancy would present as the picture of a complete ruffian. ^J'he fact 
of the weapon being often drawn when travelling does not tend to destroy 
the image. I have often when passing them at night had a pistol out ready 
for an emergency, but I have never had a cross word or look from any of 
them; on the contrary have found them to possess much of that obliging 
disposition of our own backwoodsmen, but more ignorant; they are great 
beggars, nor are they as strong or as brave, the sight of a firearm will 
scatter a dozen. 

Notwithstanding the exaggerated accounts that we had at home of the 
unsettled state of the Country, originating in a measure in the selfishness 
of the resident merchants, I am well pleased not only with the people, but 
with the country which is now tranquil. 



Legacy op Historical Gleaninos. 463 

I hope tliat a very few years will see me a^ain on the banks nf the 
bonny Hudson with a sufficient fortune to make you all happy. I have 
just been informed that the person to whom Gen. Harrison's furniture is 
consi<:-iK'd is only waitin<; for orders to forward it, while the General is in 
daily expectation of rcceivin<;' it and therefore does not think ot writinu ; 
under these cireumstnnces I shall assume the responsibility of ordering it 
on. I hope that my good old Grandmother and all my friends are well. 
I suppose Aunt Maria by this time is Mrs. Jacob S. Glen. Give my best 
love to one and all. Yours as ever, 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer. 

Genl. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P M., Albany, New York, North America. 

And7-eto Jackson. 

General Andrew Jackson had a triumphant election and on the 4th of 
March, 1829, an imposing inauguration to the office of president. " Seve- 
ral surviving officers and soldiers of the Revolution surrounded the old 
hero, when he took the oath of office as the seventh president of the 
United States." In this presidential contest there had been ahnost un- 
exampled malignity of party feeling which discharged heavy guns ; but 
the successful candidate constructed a cabinet wholly of his political 
friends. " It was done with decision, and then with inflexible honesty, a 
strong will, incorruptible integrity, and audacity which amazed his friends 
and alarmed his opponents, he began the administration of public affairs 
with great vigor." Among the visitors at Washington was Gen. Van 
Rensselaer not only to be present at the inauguration, but also to meet any 
prescriptive tendency that might be afloat." General Jackson scrupulously 
rejected all party or personal considerations in regard to Gen. Van Rens- 
selaer's politics, and behaved most honorably in his distribution of official 
patronage. When introduced by Mr. Livingston, the president took his 
hand in both of his own remarking that he had long wished to see Gene- 
ral Van Rensselaer, and continued he: 'If there was any thing he could 
do for him, besides taking care of the present Post Office, he must men- 
tion it to him,' adding ' I well recollect your decided conduct in mi/ state 
in 1797 (Tennessee) at the head of your noble troop of Dragoons, the 
finest in the service — that you did not come to action was not your fault. 
You were also the first to draw your sword and shed your blood after the 
disgraceful surrender of FIull ; the fall of Brock was a very great achieve- 
ment. Your country owes you much Sir.' A miserable set of democratic 
cormorants at Albany applied to the old hero for the removal of Gen. 
Van Rensselaer from the Albany Post Office, but that splendid type of 
Revolutionary times made this high souled and patriotic reply: ' Ry the 
Eternal, I will remove no man from office who carries British lead in his 
body.' He would not be guilty of such a wanton outrage." 

A New Anecdote of Oen. Jackson, 

After Jack.son's first election in 1829, a strong effort was made to re- 
move Gen. , an old revolutionary soldier, at that time postmaster in 

one of the principal New York towns. He had been so fierce an Adams 
man that the Jackson men determined to displace him. Silas Wright 
had just left his seat as a Representative in Congress from New York, 
and was precisely the man to head a movement against the old Postmaster. 
His influence with Jackson was boundless. His force in debate made 
him a match for the giants themselves; and as Mr. Van Bureu was then 



464 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Jackson's Secretary of State the coinhinaLion was powerful. The old 
postmaster, knowing that these two political masters were aj/ainst him, 
went to Washini^ton, called upon the President immediately upon his 
arrival, and was most courteously received and requested to call again, 
which he did several times, but nothing was said about the post otfice. 
The old postmaster now heard from his friends at home that the important 
document was on its way, so he resolved on a coup de main. The next 
day there was a presidential reception, and among the early visitors was 

Gen. . After a cordial greetiny; by Gen. Jackson, he quietly took 

his seat and waited until the long train of visitors had duly snluted the 
nation's chief and passed through the grand east room on their way 
home. The President turned to his venerable guest with some surprise, 
as he noticed him still seated on one of the sofas, and entered into fami- 
liar conversation with him, when, to his amazement, the old soldier said, 
" Gen. Jackson, I have come here to talk to you about my office. The 
politicians want to take it from me, and they know I have nothing else to 
live upon." The President made no reply, till the aged postmaster began 
to take off his coat in the njost excited manner, when Old Hickory broke 
out with the inquiry. " What in heaven's name are you going to do ? 
Why do you take off your coat in this public place '/ " " Well Sir, I 
am going to show you my wounds, which I received in fighting for my 
Country against the English." '' Put it on at once Sir ! " was the reply. 
" I am surprised that a man of your age should make such an exhibition 
of himself," and the eyes of the iron President were suffused with tears, 
as without another word he bade his ancient foe good evening. The very 
next night the crafty and able New York politician called at the White 
House and sent in his card. He was immediately ushered into the pre- 
sence, and found Jackson in loose gown and slippers, seated before a 
blazing wood fire, quietly smoking his long pipe. After the ordinary 
courtesies had been exchanged, the politician opened his budget. He 
represented the district from which the venerable post-master hailed ; said 
the latter had been a very active advocate of John Quincy Adams; that 
he had literally forfeited his place by his earnest opposition to the Jack- 
son men, and that if he were not removed the new administration would 
be seriously injured. He had hardly finished the last sentence, when 
Jackson sprung to his feet, flung his pipe into the fire, and exclaimed, 
with great vehemence, '' I take the consequences, Sir, I take the conse- 
quences. I will not remove the old man. I cannot remove him. Why, 
Mr. Wright, do you know that he carries more than a pound of British 
lead in his body ? " CoL. Forney. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to Ms Father. 

My Dear Father, Barranquilla, March 17, 1829. 

My home letters sent from Jamaica were forwarded irom St. Martha to 
Bogota, it is truly a disappointment not to receive them here, but then 
having concluded from the bearing of Mrs. Visscher's letter to Edward, 
of February 1st, that nothing extraordinary has occurred in our family (ex- 
cepting the marriage to take place on the 17th) I endeavor to agree with 
the tourist moralist who perhaps under like circumstances says : " In a 
fleeting world like this how foolish it is to fret and ever worry ourselves 
with the petty vexations of such a transient existence." It is however 
some consolation to know those letters are not lost but await my joining 
General Harrison. I was misinformed regarding his furniture, it was 



Legacy of Historical Gleanii^gs. 465 

forwarded by Mr. launch, the consignee, immediately after its arrival in 
Oarthagcna, and must by this time be near or at its journey's end. I there- 
fore only wait John Glen's arrival, in his own home, to avail myself of his 
company up the river; though I should not stay if it was not certain that 
either himself or Edward will go on. I suppose the snow, of which I un- 
derstand you have had such an abundant supply this winter, has made 
your city quite lively. Often times when pensively admiring the resplend- 
ent beauty of the moonlight nights in my tropical abode, do I think of 
pleasant scenes at home at such moonlight revels, and wish for the power 
of ubiquity that I might occasionally enjoy the pleasure of those sleigh 
rides, behind the jingling sleigh bells, in the society of" loved ones" who 
would not give refinement a cause to blush. Here snow is out of the 
question, nor have I seen a drop of rain as yet; the Schenectady 
road will give you an idea of these in a dry time, for the soi7, but not the 
tcidth as these roads are merely sufiiciently wide to allow two loaded jacks 
to pass each other. Having spoken of the roads I will now give you a few 
of the phases of Society as come under my observation. 

Being invited among the rest of Mr. Glen's family I attended several 
parties, one of which I shall endeavor to describe. It is customary at 
every Christening, which takes place at the eighth day after the birth of 
an infant, to invite all visiting friends and to close the evening with a 
dance. On this occasion Seiior Jose Maria Penez the " Juez Politico " 
was met at church by his friends at the baptism of a son ; each of the 
guests upon entering the aisle was presented with a lighted candle which 
he held in his hand whilst the Curate was performing the ceremony, of 
which by the way, not one word could be distinguished as the discordant 
sounds of the organ from the commencement, absorbed in the vortex of 
its own notes all other things, otherwise audible. The christening over, 
all the guests proceeded in regular order, two and two accompanied by 
guards with lanterns to the dwellings, where the congratulations finst took 
place. Then the guests, after tasting such of the various kinds of potables 
as they fancied, partook of a great variety of cakes, and sugar preserves, 
y'cleped " diilces," after which they, according to the custom of the country, 
JiUed their pockets. Appetites having been fully satisfied with the redun- 
dant stores of cakes, candies, liquors and cigars, the gentlemen felt them- 
selves competent to perform the more pleasing part of their duties, on this 
evening, by waiting upon the ladies. The doors of the adjoining room 
were accordingly thrown open to the sound of music from a very good 
band, and lo ! all the beauty of Barranquilla was discovered, seated round 
the dancing room in "dread array." I have frequently seen beauty so 
displayed at home in the same systematic, terrific order ; and have felt 
more reluctant in encountering them, than I am sure I would so many 
throat cutting banditti ; but on this occasion the beaux entering in a body 
were countenanced by each other through the trying ordeal in passing by 
the formidable assemblage. The round of reverencius were made to the 
lovely phalanx while filing by to our seats on the opposite side of the room. 
Each gentleman having selected his partner takes his stand on the floor 
and when all is ready the music strikes up, then the fair one marches up 
and takes her place opposite her accepted one when the giddy whirling 
and twisting commences. The dances generally are waltzes, though they 
have what are called country dances, but they partake so much of the 
nature of waltzes that-I can scarcely distinguish them apart. 
59 



46G Legacy or Historical Gleaninor. 

The ladies who have come under my inspection, in this province of 
Carthajfena, are of an olive complexion, with features regular, small and 
generally handsome ; their teeth, in whicli they appear to take much 
pride, are always beautifully white ; their hands and feet small ; the latter 
are ever drest in silk or satin stockings and slippers. Indeed they are 
more extravagant in the dress of their feet than any other part of their 
person. A beautifully figured tortoise shell comb is an indispensable 
ornament to their fine heads of hair ; a figured crape shawl thrown loosely 
over is the only head-gear in doors or out ; their eyes are as black as 
their hair. I had remarked the general use of cigars among all classes 
but was astonished to perceive how readily the elderly ladies could puif 
the nauseous weed, the mimic volcanoes of smoke were rising in every 
quarter of the room. A great mark of civility is to light a cigar and off'er 
it to a stranger, if not accepted and smoked it is considered a mark of 
ill-breeding or contempt. 

A little girl of thirteen years danced the fandango, a sort of lively jig 
or hornpipe which threw the company into extacies of delight. The ladies 
do not look with that feeling of indignation upon the immorality of either 
sex, that our fair skinned, rosy cheeks at home do : their ideas of delicacy 
are less fastidious than ours, as is pi-oved not only in manners but in con- 
versation. Character is nothing, money here is everything ; but though 
so desirable you seldom meet rich natives; they, particularly the unedu- 
cated portion which is very great, are the most improvident fellows in the 
world. Like our Indians if they only have for their present need, they 
care not for the future ; a showy dress and plenty to eat will sufiice. 
Foreigners taking advantage of their dispositions soon realize a fortune 
from their idiosyncrasy. The most common materials, if of a showy ap- 
pearance are imported and sold at extravagant prices; a yard of striped 
calico, for instance, sells for $1.50, other things in proportion at fabulous 
gains. The people are ignorant and indolent, they work for very low 
wages but never work unless they want money. They seldom or ever 
betray a trust, though their promises cannot be depended on ; they are 
effeminate and timorous not easily excited to quarrel ; they look upon 
foreigners as " creatures of another sphere," and dislike to offend them 
as much as they would a Sprite. One of Mr. Glen's clerks, a very clever 
native, sometime since after watching Cato and myself at our daily exer- 
cise of fencing, very civilly asked, if I would object to try my skill with 
him. I was quite glad of the opportunity of trying the science of the 
natives, and this man particularly as he had boasted frequently at table, 
of the superior agility of his countrymen at the exercise and of his own 
skill, I wanted to know how my broadsword would work on a pinch with 
the machete. The tilting match was against him, it has been repeated 
frequently with the same result ; he could guard against all the cuts very 
well but two and five, but the front give point would strike him every 
time. The trial has been quite satisfactory to me and to him too, for he 
is now taking lessons of me; but I hope and think there is no danger of 
coming to the real test of my skill. Another morning while Cato and 
myself were engaged in our gymnastic exercise, the thumping of our 
sticks collected a crowd of admiring spectators round our door ; among 
the number two expressed a desire to try my skill against their machetta 
exercise. I consented and was gratified to find that they could not parry 
a skillfully planted cut, nor guard against an occasional thrust. I was 
pleased as here every man carrys a machete, and as they always resort 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 467 

to it in a fight, the idea of beinir a match for the best of them in an ex- 
tremity was not an ungrateful feeling. 

I have seen a funeral. The subject, a child of two years, a neighbor 
of mine, died about ten o'clock at night; when defunct, all its female 
relatives collected and a wake with all its Irish concomitants : drinking 
howling, praying &c. commenced and lasted all night to my particular 
disquiet. Very early iu the morning the body was borne to the church 
accompanied by the acting Curate-Padre Cantillo — a man of the world, 
a skillful rake and gambler — stopping at each crossing of the streets 
where the funeral service was chanted, and holy water profusely scattered 
over the remains. The service concluded at church, the body simply in 
a winding-sheet (coiEus are never used for old or young) was again com- 
mitted to the care of those who are hired for the occasion to be the howl- 
ing mourners, and amid their noisy wailing was borne and consigned to 
its last resting place. The pillow on which a person breathes his last, 
though Carried to the grave with him is never interred, but being an un- 
hallowed article, or more probably the object of superstitious dread, when 
wanted no more is thrown over the sepulchral wall among the bushes, 
where the pillows of the dead hang as thick as blackberries. 

This people are greatly given to superstition, which is much encouraged 
by their spiritual advisers as also strengthened by their religious rites and 
ceremonies. One of the good women of this town set the whole place in 
commotion by reporting her house to be haunted. Her story was that on a 
certain night a " hruxa " or Witch entered the house where a lady friend 
and herself were asleep in bed, her son of eighteen years in his hammock, 
and after daubing herself and bedmate over with patches of tar, proceeded 
to the hammock of the boy giving him such a violent blow on the breast, 
with the flat hand, that he was deprived of his senses and did not recover 
till noon of next day. She averred that the doors were all locked, and 
the witch consequently must have entered by the key-hole. The first use- 
the boy made of his returning senses was very considerately to visit the 
Padre for absolution. The toothless bewitched old widow applied next 
day to Mr. Glen for a servant to sleep in her house as a guard, and it 
was full a week before any clue to the mystery could be obtained. It was 
finally discovered that the other inmate of the bewitched room, a buxom 
lass of twenty years, having silently enjoyed the effects of the scheme, 
could keep her joke no longer, but avowed herself the authoress of all the 
witch's pranks, to the confusion of the sages and old women who had 
made so many profound speculations on the important event. 

We had the feast of the Carnival, which in Italy lasts some weeks, but 
at this place where so many are dependent upon each day's labor, they have 
been wisely reduced to three days, during which time work is out of the 
question, for all are full of fun and frolic. Upon what occasion the festi- 
val originated, I cannot now tell, whether in Paganism or some Ecclesias- 
tical event. Here the aborigines of the country in their ancient dre.s.s 
appear to bear the principal parts, as it will be my part to show in due 
order. The numerous masks who passed iu groups, I observed to beat one 
another with sticks and iu the scuttles, that would oct;asii)iially ensue for 
some bauble, I noticed the clothes fly iu tatters, but only on one occasion 
an instance of a person's falling out of humor, and lie poor devil, was well 
paid for his pettishness. A. crowd of masks seizcil him and alter rubbing 
his face, with a very rough weed, till it nearly bled, held him by the heels 
and arms extended horizontally iu the air, whilst others beat him uumerci- 



468 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

fully on an unmentionable part. This tutoring was designed to show that 
as no real injury was intended to be given, therefore no person should 
evince anger at any trick played upon him. I recollected this lesson, 
when as incidentally passing out in the course of the morning, a mask threw 
an egg. It struck me fair in the breast on my immaculate white linen 
and broke, but to my satisfaction I found it had contained nothing but 
pure water; tlie meat havinfj been previously extracted for the purpose. 
This trick had been concerted by Edward with some ladies of the vicinity, 
who recompensed me for the wetting, by calling me in and surprising me 
with a shower of rose and cologne water. The next day all was knocked 
aback by their daubing my face, white vest and pantaloons with red, yellow 
and blue water paint, till I looked more like a harlequin than any thing 
else, though I had the satisfaction of giving them a Rowland for an 
Oliver, and subsequently I had more than the full equivalent of fun, of 
seeing all, both ladies and gentlemen daubed, that day by other masks, in 
a similar manner. 

Among all the groups, that attracted my notice, none for originality 
and becomingness of dress captivated my fancy so completely as the two 
parties of Indians; the first party headed by their Chief chosen for the 
occasion, was selected from the immediate descendants of the unfortunate 
people they represent. The other party or civilized Indians acted in 
concert with the militia. The object of the two parties was to represent 
the final subjugation of the country, by the Spaniards over the primitive 
Indians who had been the only " lords of the soil." These two parties were 
particular in avoiding a meeting till the evening of the third day ; in the 
meantime all were employed in seeking such diversions as best suited 
themselves. The unsubdued tribe dressed out in their aboriginal grandeur, 
each warrior bearing his bow and quiver, would occasionally dance through 
the streets to the sound of their native music, which is produced by two 
players on a kind of flute. These flutes are three feet long; the first 
contains four finger holes and yields a melodious, wild and animating 
strain of which the people are excessively fond. The other or second flute 
has but one or two finger-holes, it with a gourd containing beans is used 
by the second person as an accompaniment to the other. The dances to 
this music were conducted with much system and regularity ; a war-whoop 
given in their peculiar tone, would sometimes make the " welkin ring 
again." The showy dresses of this wild tribe rendered still more gaudy 
by a profusion of brilliant feathers, over which was displayed their pristine 
arms — the bow and arrow — gave them a grotesque and on the whole 
rather a splendid appearance. On the evening of the third day, at sun- 
set, the troops having formed a junction with the body of friendly Indians, 
the combined force marched out, to an open space, where the wild tribes 
had assembled; when a battle took place between the forces, in which the 
latter were completely routed and made prisoners, when the show ceased 
in the baptism of one of the captives. It had been nothing more than a 
burlesque Shaiii fight with a few blows of the pikes and many shouts ; 
yet the show, at all events, awakened a train of ideas, which associated as 
they naturally were with the cruel and unnatural treatment which the 
Ancestors of this very people received, from their blood-thirsty subduers, 
left an impression not easily eradicated. 

After a walk of two miles through the dust to see the mighty conflict 
I was returning home quite disappointed, but soon was amply compensated 
for my trouble by learning from one of the numerous masqucraders of the 



Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 469 

day, the way to relieve a weary jackass of liis burden. The fellow, dressed 
as a rouj^h looking, foolish countryman, came along on his beast and stop|)ed 
just before me saying his poor jack was tired, and that he meant to relieve 
him of a heavy load, then dismounting from the miserable nag, he took 
ofl' the saddle and the load, then laced it on his own back. I thought 
him a very considerate fellow as the animal was scarcely able to carry its 
own weight, and supposed the ci-devant rider intended to walk, but he 
mounted again saying go on old boy you see I carry all the load, ijou have 
nothing to carry but me. It would have passed with an Irishman as a 
bull, but tlie fellow's compeers took it as a superb piece of humor and 
laughed at it heartily. They have not the means in this place of carrying 
a day of this kind through with so much display as at larger towns ; but 
the Indian part of the ceremony was acted to life, and has given me an 
idea of many of their customs. One of the masqueraders went through 
the streets painted jet black, with horns on his head, having a negro 
dancing drum in his hand, on which ever and anon he would tap and keep 
time with his feet. I have not yet received proof positive of its not 
having been the Old Nick himself, it was a good fac-simile at all events. 
Palm Sundaj/ is the occasion of another feast, at which time all people, both 
young and old able to walk, are seen parading the streets to the Cathedral, 
with a beautii'ul large mountain or cabbage palm leaf on their shoulders. 
These leaves are all stacked up in church in a body, the priest then gives 
them a devout benediction and sprinkles them over with a profusion of 
holy water, after which each individual bears his respective leaf off to his 
home. Then after braiding the smaller fibres in basket work fashion, 
suspends the truly precious article up in a secure part of the house, where 
it acts till another year as an infallible charm or preventive against thunder 
bolts. Still another one of the great days is the Crucifixion ofow Saviour, 
when, by the aid of images, it is acted over again in every particular as 
described in Scripture. The ceremony commences in church at the be- 
trayal of Judas ; and goes through with the nailing on the cross, the taking 
down, the placing in the sepulchre, the resurrection &c. ; during which 
time the procession of civil and military have several perambulations around 
the streets, bearing in their ranks the Images representing Christ, of the 
Virgin Mary and several of the Apostles. 

In their progress all spectators kneel in reverential awe; and from the 
houses of the wealthy the fumes of incense come out in clouds to mingle 
with that rising from the censers of the boys preceding the images. The 
streets too in many places are strewed with flowers, whilst every person 
shows their excessive grief ibr the event they commemorate by the black 
color of their apparel. During the continuation of these festivities gamb- 
ling tables are seen every night posted around all parts of the town, at 
which even the poorest are found there staking their quartillo or three 
cent piece. Indeed this appears to be a universal vice ; at Carthagena 
also the number of gaming tables were very conspicuous and I was struck 
with the many votaries patronizing them especially on Sunday which was 
the popular festival day for diversions of all kinds. 

Besides Cato's faithful attendance on me, he has always been, at my 
desire, employed on JMr. Glen's rosa, so that he felt as contented as could 
be expected, though an occasional regret would break forth from his honest 
bosom for home. The day was at length determined upon when Kdward 
and myself were to embark upon the Magdalena, and all things required 
were in readiness, but another unavoidable ry/(//-c-/e/?yw detains us a short 



470 Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings, 

time longer. I enclose a letter from Edward Glen to Mrs. Vissclier, he 
desires mc to remember him kindly to you all, he thinks of going home 
within a year. I would like to meet him there with all my golden hopes 
realized, I would treat him as a brother. 

With love to all. Yours most truly 
Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. R. V. Rensselaer. 

Post Master General to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 
My dear Sir, Washington, 19th March, 1829. 

Mr. Moore has assured me that your Sou would be continued. On 
that head and I trust upon every other you may rest easy. In a few days 
I shall leave Washington for the West. It is painful to separate from so 
many friends in the Post Office Department". They lay very near to my 
heart and shall find a place there while life continues. From the faith- 
ful and able manner in which your duties as Post Master have been dis- 
charged, ijou need entertain no fear of being molested. 

Sincerely your friend. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. John McLean. 

l*ost-Master General John McLean was succeeded in 1829 by William 
T. IJarry, but subsequently he was appointed one of the judges of the 
supreme court and did honor to his exalted station. " A ruthless pro- 
scription of political opponents, was among the first official acts of Gene- 
ral Jackson : the executive patronage was made an engine of party war- 
fare ; and thus was planted the root of political depravity, which has 
since sprung into such ' foul flowering,' and overspread the nation with 
its deadly shade. The power of the president had become, in congress, 
almost resistless. The people had just emerged from one of the warmest 
political conflicts in which they ever were engaged. The victors now re- 
pose in confidence upon their almost unprecedented success, and rest from 
the fatigues of the action. The vanquished peaceably delivered up their 
arms and surrendered themselves to the caprice of fortune with patriotic 
feelings. General W. H. Harrison was one of the first victims to the 
new administration." 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Jiis Son. 
My dear Rensselaer, Albany, Monday, March 23, 1829. 

With this I write to Genl. Harrison, his recall I do most sincerely 
regret. I did every thing in my power to prevent it, and from the kind 
and friendly manner in which General Jackson treated me and the 
subject, I was really in hopes I had succeeded : He observed, ^^ I like this, 
I like this^ 'tis an amiable feeling we soldiers have for each other, I 
■will think of it, I must see you to-morrow." That night there was a 
consultation, which decided my friend's recall, and when I called the 
next day, the result was made known to me. M}' friends are using every 
exertion with Mr. Moore and Van Buren for you, but I cannot determine 
whether they will be successful or not. If they are not, it may place 
you in an unpleasant situation ; at this distance from you, I cannot give 
any advice. I must leave you to your own resources and to your God. 
I think my office is safe, such at any rate is the opinion at Washington 
and here; the little recreation I have been taking in my visit there, no 
doubt has operated in my favor. Another one of our old citizens is 
dead — Governor John Taylor — and is to be buried this afternoon with 
great pomp.* * * Mr. Livingston of Louisiana introduoed me to Genl. Jack- 



Legacy of llrsTouTOAL (xLeaninop. 471 

son who took my luuid in both of his and observed he knew my character, 
had k)iig wished to sec nie and was then happy the opportunity had 
occurred. Mr. LiviuL^ston liandcd liini a letter from Governor J^icwis. in 
which he spoke in his usual strong:; terms about me, and anionic other 
things said, that I had been Adjutant-General under all the Governors 
of the State, mentioning them by name* * * He observed to Mr. Livingston, 
" I am happy to hear from my friend Lewis, but it was unnecessary ; " he 
knew tliat I held the Post OlBce to the entire satisfaction of all and that 
they wished me to retain it j and it is certainly an extraordinary 
circumstance that one man should be Adjutant General during the 
Administration of those great men. He then turned to- me and said: 
" your office is sacred, your Country owe you much," and he invited me to 
call and see him frequently. I availed myself of the permission hoping 
to save Harrison for his own sake and for yours, and would have succeeded 
had it depended solely upon Mm and me, but there was interference. 

We anxiously are looking for letters from you, t hope we will be gratified 
by the next arrival of the vessel. As soon as I hear further from Wash- 
ington I will again write, at any rate I shall write by Mr. Moore whenever 
he leaves the United States, but when that will be I do not yet know, I 
hope he will deal honorably to all concerned. * * * Ijy this evening's mail, 
I have received a letter from the Hon. John McLean — late Post Master 
General — informing me that Mr. Moore promised to continue you in the 
Diplomatic service in Bogota. This removes now very much anxiety from 
my mind on your account in that strange country. Be prudent, be careful. 
Trusting, as I have always done with great pride to your honor and in- 
tegrity, I must wait for future developments to fully understand what 
may be the position assumed by Mr. Moore in regard to your case. At 
the time your last welcome package of letters arrived, the girls were all 
busily engaged in making preparations for a dinner party (I had invited 
a number of gentlemen to dine with me that day) and amusing indeed 
was it to see all busy with allotted tasks, yet listening eagerly to every 
syllable read alternately by Richard and myself. On the 2'7th of last 
month our dear Elizabeth had another little daughter, both are doing very 
well. Mag writes you all the news. To high Heaven I commit you my 
dear Son, with a Fathers love and regard, 

Col. 11. Van Rensselaer, Bogota, S. A. SoL. Van Rensselaer. 

Gen. John Armstrong to Jiulge Spencer. 

My dear Judge, Red Hook, N. Y., April 28, 1829. 

1 received your favor of the 17th, in course of the mail, and wrote im 
mediately on the subject of it to the person you indicated. Mr. E. Liv- 
ingston returned yesterday from the South and passed the day with me. 
Having mentioned the business to him, he assured me that Gen. Van 
Rensselaer might make himself perfectly easy, and in support of this 
opinion, stated the following facts, viz, that while at Washington he re- 
ceived a letter from Gen. Lewis regarding it, and requesting him to take 
an interest in preventing V. R's ejection and authorizing him to shew, 
or to read, the letter to the President. On opening the subject, the Presi- 
dent stopped him, saying, " 1 know Gen. Van Rensselaer's character and 
services, and a recommendation of him from any one, is quite unneces- 
sary." Edward adds, that no one has a better memory, in cases of this 
kind, than Jackson, and that a promise once given by him in any form, 
is never violated. The getters up of petitions may therefore as well be 



472 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

quiet, asVere there a million of them, he would fulfil his own engajre- 
nient. I hope this temper will last lon<;; enou^^h to>- put down the vile 
practice we have got into, of suffering a few intrigues, first to'beguile the 
Executive, and then virtually to usurp his authority in making appoint- 
ments. Barry, I understand, has dismissed all suppliants, in person or by 
agents, giving them to understand, that absentees only should get appoint- 
ments, this is an approach to the golden age. I suspected and feared Ed- 
ward goes to France. He has not yet decided in favor, but I predict his 
acceptance of the ofiice. Under the notice you gave me, I cannot well be 
surprised at seeing you here, but were it otherwise, I need not say, that 
no more agreeable surprise could await me. Cordially and in much haste 
Your friend and servant, J. A-RMSTRONG. 

Hon. Ambrose Spencer Esq., Albany. 

CJiarles A. Clinton to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 

Dear General, ' New York, April 30, 1829. 

I accidentally heard this morning, that you have expressed an apprehen- 
sion lest a successful attempt should be made, to procure your removal 
from the ofiice you now hold ; and that you have stated that an endeavor 
is making to procure the appointment of another person. Is this so or 
not ? I hope that there is some mistake in it, and that, if you have so 
expressed yourself, you have been needlessly alarmed. But are you in 
any danger ? If so, let me know and I will immediately write to the Pre- 
sident on the subject. I cannot think for an instant that General Jackson 
would ever consent to remove you from office. It would be a terrible out- 
rage of good feeling. You ought to be recommended to his favor, not 
only by your excellent character and distinguished services, but by your 
warm, uniform, honorable and manly friendship for my father. I have 
one word more. Dear General, on this subject. I was told some days 
since, that I had been named in Albany conversations as a candidate for 
your office. I did not think that such ridiculous gossip was worth the 
attention of either of us. I felt vexed and angry when I first heard it, 
but on further reflection, I was rather disposed to laugh at so ridiculous 
an invention, than to put myself in a passion about it. I repeat, as I said 
before, that I cannot believe that your office is in danger, but if you are 
of a contrary opinion, you must let me know, and I will adopt the most 
decided measures in your behalf. As ever, your sincere friend. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany. C. A. Clinton. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to Ms Father. 
Dear Father, Barranquilla, May 1, 1829. 

Before my departure from this, which is to be to-morrow I shall scrawl 
out a few more lines for you. After the arrival of John Glen from the 
United States, his urgency with that of his brother's that I should wait 
till he was ready to go up the river, induced me to make up my then 
wavering mind to do so, notwithstanding my anxiety to follow on after 
my home letters. But as a knowledge of the language or good company 
in traveling this country is essential, I have made a virtue of necessity 
by accepting their kind invitation and now I hope that on my arrival at 
Bogota General Harrison will be ready to receive me in his own house. 

A variety of circumstances have compelled John Glen to delay his 
jaunt, one of which was waiting the arrival of over 150 tons of goods from 
Jamaica, which he had contracted to deliver in Honda, those goods are 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 473 

now all shipped in four boats ; the last one starts to-morrow. The owners, 
two fine young men of Bogota are to leave at the same time in one small 
covered boat; Mr. Glen, myself and Don Cato in another. At Mi.mpox, 
200 miles above this, our canoes are to be exchanged for a C%impan, a 
sort of scow, then the two parties are to unite in one mess for the rest of 
the route. I anticipate pleasure and information I'rom the society of my 
fellow travelers. The names of the two Colombians are Don Puis the 5th 
Roxas, and Don Antonio Libre, both very gentlemanly, of the first and 
richest families in Bogota. The Uucle of the latter passed through this 
place about a month since for the same destination, accompanied by a very 
beautiful, fair skinned, delicate wife and three young children. They 
were obliged to stop for a short time at each village on the river in order 
to ventilate the boat: and as the tolda or covered part of it is so small 
they were terribly cramped for room when under lieadway, there was but 
little space in which to slretch their limbs; they were twelve days going 
to Mompox. 

We unencumbered bachelors expect to be in Honda before June, and 
in Bogota before you receive this. I know your anxiety to hear often 
from me, therefore if an t)pportunity of writing occurs on the river, shall 
send another letter as an index of my course and progress, endeavoring 
always to have letters at Cathagena for the packets. I regret the irregu- 
larity and long intervals of time between their departure; that regret finds 
sympathy no doubt at home, for there is nothing like frequent communi- 
cations to allay the pangs of absence. Of the two parties concerned in 
the last sage remark, those whom I love best have no cause to complain 
if they have received all my long letters written in such a desultory man- 
ner; but I, poor moralizor, must defer the hope of knowing how you all 
are, in the ancient Dutch Beaver-town, till after reaching Bogota. The 
fear of encountering the spring rains on the river, when the flood-gates 
are opened " And oft whole sheets descend of sluicy rain," was one cause 
for consenting to remain so long; but the rain is now over, though they 
have had plenty of it up stream, as appears from the rise of water; we 
however, had only one slight shower, the first I have seen since landing 
in South America. Notwithstanding the drought, this land of perennial 
beauty yields every thing spontaneously for the wants of man. The many 
varieties of fruits are astonishing — one species succeeds another through- 
out the year ; some trees such as cocoanuts, oranges &c., are constantly 
bearing ; the fruits are generally luscious and very delicious but as perish- 
able as the melon which is constantly in the market ; lettuce has been a 
standing dish at Mr. Glen's table ever since my first arrival. The ther- 
mometer has not varied three degrees from 8i° in the shade during all 
this time, but uniformity of the climate is peculiar to every country within 
the tropics. Any great difierence in the atmosphere is attributable to the 
peculiar situation of the country. Bogota though some half dozen degrees 
nearer the equator than Barranquilla, is about 15 or 16 degrees cooler 
in consequence of its elevation being 8,900 feet above the sea, a circum- 
stance to my liking as I would prefer a little less warmth than we have at 
this place. I find as little difficulty in accommodating myself to the man- 
ners of the people, as I did to this warm climate, but am often obliged to 
smother a laugh at seeing the men embrace each other at meeting after 
a short separation ; the manners however, shall form the subject of one 
epistle wlien I am better acquainted with the masses. 
60 



474 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

Before leaving home I had received an impression //'omprm^s, thattlie 
utmost caution was necessary to guard against the noxious and vcnouinus 
serpents of the country ; it is true there are scorpions, centipedes, tarantula 
and others, but their sting is not much more hurtful than of the bee. The 
Vampire too of which we have heard such dismal tales, in these localities 
is a small bat; it never wounds in a vital part, but dextrously nips the 
extremity of the sleeper's fingers and toes to banquet on his blood. My 
quondam fellow traveler, Diego De Castro, once afforded a bountiful supper 
to one of these demon bats, the orifice was quite small and he never 
suffered any inconvenience from his bounty. Man, proud man need never 
fear the sting of insects or the fangs of serpents; they all fly on his ap- 
proach, even the dreaded tiger avoids him. The fears or ignorance of 
some travelers have exaggerated many things in relation to this quarter 
of the globe, which the selfish private interests of resident foreigners are 
prone to confirm. For my part I am all anxiety to avail myself of every 
opportunity to become an fait as to the productions and state of the 
country, it may hereafter prove of great utility. There is a singular fish 
called the rd^a, found in these waters, whose sting or bite is very poison- 
ous ; several of Mr. Glen's boatmen are now on the sick-list from wounds 
inflicted by this specimen of the finny tribe, while the men were wading 
in the water. If the proper remedy is not applied immediately, the poor 
patient suffers for months before he recovers from the sting. They are 
avoided by keeping out of the mud. In consequence of these torments I 
always go out in a boat to take my bath and as a prudential measure even 
then apply the water from a calabash basin, and Cato ditto. Indeed I 
endeavor to shun all real danger, for I look upon my success in this land 
as a thing to be desired by all our family — if I am fortunate, the anti- 
quated charm that binds our young men like an indigenous plant to live 
and die on the soil that rears them will be broken, and a new spirit of 
enterprise will induce many of my Dutch acquaintances to break away while 
young, and seek in other countries that honorable fortune which will not 
only give comfort to their old age, but add much to the respectability of 
their name. It would gratify me much to awaken that feeling in the 
youngsters for I still am more and more sanguine of having good grounds 
for attempting it; but I must acquire more experience for myself before 
feeling competent to direct others — however I will do my best to elevate 
the fortunes of the family. If I succeed in the attempt, the innate 
satisfaction will be a sufficient recompense for all the anxiety, trouble and 
deprivation that may attend the undertaking. 

All foreigners who have resided here from five to ten years are rich, 
the greater part of them came with little or no capital; the profits on all 
kinds of foreign goods are so immensely large that riches must follow 
prudent sales. John Glen has lately paid up the last of a dead loss on a 
heavy speculation in Brazil wood of $80,000 and still is wealthy, while at 
the same time he is now making money as fast and surer than ever. The 
freight of his four boats will amount to over S5000, they will be home 
again in ten weeks ; he has four others of the same size going to Honda, 
besides five or six smaller ones all constantly employed. His income 
must be immense and I very much doubt whether he can make up his 
mind to leave such profitable business to settle in cold Canada. He is 
loved, feared and respected; lives it is true in bachelor's style but fares 
like a nabob. I mention this simply as an instance of what judicious en- 
terprise will effect in a land where ignorance and improvidence so gener- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 475 

ally prevails. Although I am personally knowiiip^ to these facts, T do not 
suffer the brilliancy of «;(y money making scheme to dazzle me. It re- 
<juires time to make me competent to undertake the accomplishment in 
tliis strange clime; it is true that time may bear away the present oppor- 
tunities, but I think not at all events till another generation. 

I cannot of course say if an agricultural occupation would answer, but 
I am inclined to think not; at least in this quarter of the country a de- 
pendence on the articles of home consumption would be a futile under- 
taking where nature is so bountiful ; perhaps the raising of cotton, indigo, 
rice and sugar might answer, but I hope to know more after leaving 
General Harrison. The General is now expecting me, he did not wish 
to increase the size of his family while he was a guest in another gentle- 
man's house, but he said would put himself to any inconvenience for the 
sake of the son of his old friend I think I shall like him well. 

Edward goes home again in August, I may send some little nicknacks 
by him, he is eternally sighing for " Home, sweet home ! " and is 
extremely sorry at having had too much pressing business on hands to 
permit his making up a grand tiger hunt for my especial gratification. 
I am sorry too, as tlie circumstance of having been in at the death of a 
tiger would have been a fine little theme for prattle in days to come. 
Poor Glen will miss my company very much, we have been almost con- 
stantly together, and /will often tliink of both him and his noble brother, 
when far away. Don Cato (as Dr. Van Rensselaer calls him) is making 
rapid progress in the Spanish language, I think one year more will give 
him as glib a tongue as any Castilian, he has such a fine memory. Cato 
is the prince of waiters here, I have often witnessed with satisfaction the 
superiority, he is so fond of displaying, over Mr. Glen's servants whilst 
attending at the table ; he takes much pride in making himself useful. 
I myself have but little trouble in getting along in ordinary small talk. 
It is late but I must tell you of an incident which occurred to-day, which 
it will be well enough to note as an instance of the ways of the world, 
and as a record of the merited punisliment of an overbearing nincompoop. 

At Carthagena I had casually been introduced to a proud j^oung Scotch- 
man by name of Saunders, but he then thought a passing salute suiBcient 
for a stranger; however some time afterwards, he came to Barrancjuilla to 
purchase cotton and fustic, for a vessel loading at Savinilla, which busi- 
ness detained him here some time. Immediately after his arrival, finding 
the place rather lonely, he called upon me, but I remembered his cava- 
lierness or disdainful manner at Carthagena, treated him with such a de- 
gree of coldness, that he did not repeat the call, till two days previous to 
the time on which he understood I intended starting. At this visit per- 
ceiving several bunches of choice cigars on my table, which I had provided 
for use on the river, he took up one parcel containing 50, stating that I 
had more than I required, and notwithstanding mystrenuous protestations 
to the contrary, marched off with my property, pron)ising at tliesame time 
to replace them the folluwing day. That day arrived and had almost passed 
when no cigars appearing from Saunders, I directed Cato, that if he 
happened to meet the gentleman, to give him my compliments and ask for 
them. Cato did meet him, near night fall, and to the message received 
for answer, in presence of four foreigners, viz., two British sea captains 
and two Americans that " he should tell his master from him to go to 
hell." Cato returned to me, and was in the act of delivering the message, 
as I was then standing in front of Mr. Glen's door, when Saunders came 



476 Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings. 

riding by on horse back, and supposing he had not given his very polito 
advice publicity enough to suit his purpose, repeated to me what he had 
told Cato, in the presence of JMr. Glen's clerks and servants, several gentle- 
men were also standing there, he then spurred on his horse before I could 
reply. He knew of ray intention to depart to-morrow morning, and suppored 
the difficulty of finding him to night, would compel me to forego giving 
him that chastisement he deserved, and thus he would enjoy the reputa- 
tion of having (without risk) insulted a Yankee ! ! But unfortunately 
for him, I learned at dinner that he was to attend a ball, in the lower part 
of the street. Our dinner, which we never commenced till candle light, 
being over, I took one of the clerks, who had heard what occurred be- 
tween us, along with me and walked very leisurely down to the ball room 
and beckoned Saunders out to the doors. He then had the meanness to 
declare lie had meant nothing by what he had said. But when I told him 
he had acted like a puppy, and that I could expect no other language than 
an apology from a puppy, his Scotch inflammable temper or spunk arose 
and he threw himself in a scientific pugilistic attitude, and boldly de- 
manded what I meant. A slap with the flat of my hand against the chaps 
or mouth, gave him a hint of my meaning, and brought the whole ball 
room out to see the fracas; among the rest I had the satisfaction of seeing 
the two British Captains. In the meantime, the wary Scot was preparing 
to return the compliment when I gave him one of Jim Sanford's settlers 
on the potatoe trap and he reeled back in the arms of one of the alcaldes 
or justice of peace, who came out with drawn swords at the commencement 
of the affray, while another alcaldi made a prisoner of me. However, 
Edward Glen, who had received some intimation of what was going on, 
happened to come along and at his opportune interference in my behalf, 
I was immediately released and returned home, have since heard nothing 
of Saunders. Yours very truly, 

Gen. Sol. Van Eensselaer, Albany, N. Y. R. Van Rensselaer. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

South American Letters Continued. 

Rensselaer Vart, Eensselaer to his Father. 
Dear Father, Mompox, May 13, 1829. 

In accordance with the promise made in my last from Barranquilla, I 
take advantage of the delay of our boats at this place to write you again. 
A person engaged in business is neither master of his own time or motions, 
he must be governed by the exigencies of the moment, and those design- 
ing fo travel in company with business men must have the patience of 
the sainted Job to endure all the changes and postponements incident to 
the projected excursions. My patience has been pretty well tried, at all 
events by the unavoidable delays of the Glens; every detention, after the 



Legacy of IIistokical Gleanings. 477 

hope of receiving letters from home at Barranquilk had vanished, was an 
airgravating addition to my redundant stock of disappointment, and if I 
had not been an old hand at stowing away that kind of luggage it might 
have lumbered me up too much. When however, I found myself em- 
barked with Edward and Cato early on the morning of the 4th, after bid- 
ding adios to our ]>arranquilla friends and sailing up the great River 
Magdalena, much of that cumbersome luggage was pitched overboard. 
John Glen being, at the last moment detained by more urgent business at 
home was a disappointment and my parting with that noble nunded man 
was not without a •' tearful eye," and now as I am about leaving him, it 
may be proper to bestow a few words to his good name. He came to this 
country in 1809 — some 20 years since — for a long time he acted as a clerk, 
in a house at Carthagcna, afcer which he removed to ])arran([uilla, where 
lie opened a commission store, receiving for his share, the pitii'ul allowance, 
half of five per cent. He was in Caraccas in 1812 when that splendid 
city was destroyed by an earthquake, 12,000 were killed, and he narrowly 
escaped the same fate. Hearing the subterraneous rumbling noise which 
was followed by a slight tremor and then a violent rocking, shaking or 
heaving of the earth, he attempted to leave the house. He soon lay 
crushed under a heavy door way frame from which he was extricated by 
his black servant, but was insensible for a long time and only with great 
care was restored to life and health. But perseverance, industry and 
economy crowned his eiforts with great success, and he was blessed with a 
moderate share of wealth, and what was more with a good reputation. He 
opened a correspondence with the Jamaica merchants, and greater wealth 
followed his increased business. But reverses occurred, and several times 
he lost his all, but never in his greatest distress did his credit forsake him. 
His island correspondents always had such implicit faith in his honor, that 
they never closed their books against him, on the contrary with every op- 
portunity they were sure to forward him a fresh assortment of goods; and 
through them he has always been enabled to battle through every reverse. 
It is but lately that he paid them the last of dead losses — of over $100, 
000, and still he is a rich man ; he never had more substantial property. 
Notwithstanding his extensive business, he has been of great service to 
his adopted country, having been personally engaged under Gen. 3Iontillo 
in campaigning against the Spaniards and royalists. He was at the taking 
and burning of the village of the ('ienega, and at the re capture of Santa- 
Martha iVom the Spaniards. During the seige of Carthagcna when the 
inhabitants were in the most extreme distress for want of provisions, he 
made a handsome fortune, by running into the port, throu<_rh the Spanish 
blockading squadron, with a vessel laden with flour and other provisions. 
In one of his many adventures, he was captured and sent to Porto Bcllo 
(one of the chief towns close to the sea on the declivity of a mountain 
which encloses the whole anchorage, and is also called Fine Harbor) in 
chains, where he remained a long time. His many services have been 
justly rewarded by government, in the exclusive right of export from the 
port of Savinilla, which he enjoyed for some time. He now owns some 
six or eight of the very finest and largest transportation boats on the Mag- 
dalena, and his " bogas," or boatmen enjoy the best reputation of any on 
the river. He employs about 100 bogas; the most of whom are heads of 
families; when he first came here, they were a wild, uncivilized set, with 
little or no care, or consideration about them, scarcely having a hut to 
shelter them. However by his upright example and advice — this worthy 



478 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

scion of Quarter Master Genl. John Glen (his grandfather, of Revo- 
lutionary renown) taught them to economize, and now they all have 
good houses, dress well, while they, as well as their wives and children, 
always look neat. Indeed John Glen is justly regarded as the patriarch 
of the village. He is respected by every body ; for my part, his disin- 
terested and hospitable conduct has so endeared him to me, that I for one 
will not soon forget. Edward is the manager of his brother's heavy busi- 
ness and has been the means of throwing much information in my way. 
At their repeated solicitations I remained and could have but little delicacy 
in so doing for they both made me feel perfectly at home. At my request 
he gave Cato plenty of work on the plantation, while I would write for 
him or occasionally weigh wood or cotton. Cato was really becoming 
every day more useful, but when there was notliing better to do we would 
go out gunning ; and many is the fine meal we have brouglit home of ducks, 
turkeys and snipes. 

Now after this long digression let us return. Our boat was one of about 
five tons burthen, her usual complement of men was two with the patron 
or captain ; but on this occasion we took with us two extra bogadors or 
rowers who intend taking the large boats which have preceded us at Mom- 
pox. Our progress of course with these extra hands was proportionably 
great. The stern of our boat was very nicely protected from sun and rain 
by a covering of palm leaves called a tolJa, under which we placed our- 
selves on some boxes of merchandise which Glen carried with him on spec- 
ulation. The front part, comprising two thirds of the boat's length, was 
boarded over for the accommodation of the bogas ; there they worked to a 
never failing humming tune witli their long paldncas or setting pole;-. 
These palancas are made of a smooth, straight, li^^ht stick from 12 to 18 
feet in length, with a crotch or cross of the lignuni-vita3 wood, inserted 
in the end, to prevent their sinking too deep in the mud. The other end 
is applied with all the strength of the owner, to his naked breast, when 
running with a quick short step (in which when more than one is employed 
they invariably keep time) from the bows towards the stern, propels the 
boat along quite rapidly. As the channel of the river is too deep to admit 
the palancas reaching bottom, the boat is obliged to keep close to the bank, 
let it wind ever so much, in order that the bogas may avail themselves of 
it as a setting pl.ico for their poles. But as they are all compelled to work 
on one side of tlie boat, so as not to intcrefere with one another, they divide 
themselves in two p-irties. The division which has reached the stern, 
withdrawing their poles always from the water, and raising them high 
enough to allow the division who are giving the boat headway, room to 
pass under, and so on alternately. The Patron's station of course is in 
the stern. 

At nine o'clock Cato who had been assigned to attend to the duties of. 
the essential and truly honorable department of Cookery, gave word that 
all was completed and breakfast ready. The welcome news immediately 
brought our boat to an anchor or rather to a fast against the bank and 
the preparations for gormandizing were forthwith made. Edward's coffee 
cups, sugar bowl, plates &c., were out on deck in a jiffy: but conceive 
my horror, when the cover was removed from Cato's smoking pot, to per- 
ceive the never-to-be-forgotten mess of San Cocho. However an outrage- 
ous appetite conquered my antipathy and I made a prodigious fine meal, 
nor did the sight of that standing dish ol" our voyage afterwards give ri.se 
to any scruples against eating, I found 1 could do my share. Sometimes 



Legacy of IIistouical Gleanings. 470 

in place of coffee, Cato gives us very fine Chocolate for our breakfast. 
Tlie natives pound the dried and roasted berry or seed of the cocoa tree 
into a ])aste, which with a sufficient quantity of sugar, vanilla, cinnamon 
and sometimes a little flour is then ready for another process. The oil 
of the kernel affords adhesive matter enough to keep tlie ingredients to- 
gether; after being thoroughly mixed, it is kneaded into small balls or 
cakes of a requisite size for one cup, after which the slightest degree of 
boiling renders it fit for use. To have it superlatively fine, he would boil 
the cakes in milk instead of water, but that luxury is not always to be 
commanded, only occasionally can we procure milk at tiie villages as the 
calves are permitted to consume all the milk of their dams. 

One morning Edward went ashore at a village to deliver a letter from 
his bookkeeper Diego De Castro to his mother ; shortly after his return 
on board, Mrs. De Castro's servant appeared with a fine large fish, a 
roasted fowl, a baked rice pudding which with some wine gave us a 
sumptuous banquet. The river water was so muddy as to be unpalatable 
without a little alum to clarify it, owing to the loose nature of the soil 
through which the river flows causing the banks constantly to cave in, 
also is frequently dangerous for the passing boats. Near one of the vil- 
lages a spot was pointed out to me as having once been an Indian burying 
place ; the rapid current had washed away the bank, uncovering and 
displaying to view the many mouldering bones, with cooking utensils and 
war implements. These are being gradually loosened from the place in 
which they had rested many ages in peace, but now through the changes 
of time tumbling into the turbulent Magdalena and hurried off to the wide 
ocean. 

It is a fashion among travelers in this country to sleep under their tuldas 
whether in or far from villages or huts. These bars are made of a gauze- 
like material in the shape of a tent, the length and breadth to suit the 
owner, about five or six feet high ; it is fastened up by means of a cord 
attached to the upper part of the boat between two stakes. There stretched 
out at length on his mat, the balmy air soon lulls his senses into forgetful- 
ness; then the maddened trumpet of that blood-thirsty foe of his comfort — 
the musquito — sounds without like the strain of aerial music to the ear of 
the dreaming and secure sleeper. But if he is aroused by the midnight 
shower (as happened to us in one of the five nights we encamped out in 
coming up the river) against which the open texture of his toldo is no 
protection, the blanket then thrown over the tent protects him over head, 
but not from the running water below. Let the ducking, however reach him 
as it may, the effect here is nothing, five minutes of the mm-ning sun dries his 
clothes and the rain storm is forgotten. To encamp out in the changeable 
climate of my native land, would be to me in the strong and healthy state 
I now enjoy an acceptable incident for its novelty, though prudence might 
assign a house as a more healthful dormitory. Here however, the con- 
fined air of a house eould almost render every effort to sleep nugatory, whilst 
the refreshing night breeze, stealing through the minute meshes of the 
mos(|ulto bars, cools after a sultry day the oppressive heat of the body and 
makes the spirit forget in healthy slumber all its real or imaginary ills. 
We were glad whenever the sea breeze overtook us for then the toilsome 
palancas were dropped and the sail spread to the " favoring gale," which 
gave us an opportunity of crawling out from our lurking hole to see the 
country. But on " what side soever I turn my eyes I beheld" nothing 
but a verdant level country, the dark woods, the turbid stream moving 



480 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

smoothly beneath us; occasionally a rosa would peep out from the sombre 
forest like a sunbeam from the stormy sky, but they like anirel visits were 
" few and far between," it was a wearisome monotony. We stopped one 
night at a village on the East side of the river at a Roza, it was dark 
when we landed, and a large flock of yelping curs gave notice of our ap- 
proach, but we made good our resting place in spite of their teeth. The 
unceasing din of the myriads musquitoes which kept the air alive made us 
anxious to escape their sting accordingly we pitched our' tents between 
the dog kennel and hogsty on one side and a hen roost on the other, with- 
out even noticing our dangerous quarters. In the course of the night a 
most intolerable itching, gave us notice that the uninvited prying flea, had 
got through under our mats; whilst the messengers from the hen-roost 
had got through in every direction and were making free, not only with our 
bed but with our blood. However a good bath in the morning and a 
frequent repetition soon relieved us of the annoyance ; and we were more 
select in our lodgings for the future as you may suppose. 

Punta Gorda was a neat village in view; it, as its name indicates, is a 
fine rich point without a great many houses. Peiion Bajo comes next in 
order, it is a flne large place delightfully and romantically situated on a 
nice clean plain ; from it is shipped a great quantity of fustic (a species of 
wood used in dyeing yellow). Glen has an agent here to procure that 
article for him. The name it bears, is applied by the bogas to all convex 
angles at the turns in the river, or to any point jutting out in the stream ; 
these points or penons the poor feUows have much labor and difficulty in 
doubling; for' the current running at the rate of three or four miles an 
hour, comes sweeping along with such force and being so suddenly im- 
peded, forms a raging remolino or whirlpool against which it is so hard to 
Contend to pass and through which, nothing but the most consummate skill 
and united eff'orts on part of the Bogaddrs would succeed. If the bow is 
by accident kept too far out, or if the boat has not enough headway, she 
is struck by the vortex and carried out in the stream, when the paddles 
must be resorted to, that the shore may be gained where the same trouble 
still awaits you. The bogas would always make use of a tow rope if the 
nature of the bank would admit it, but that is seldom practicable, as the 
bank by the constant friction of the water is continually undermining. 
They likewise are generally too high, perpendicular and so covered with 
vines and briers that a landing cannot be effected. These boatmen, how- 
ever, are so skillful that they never lose their course unless a pole breaks, 
or a sunken snag drives the boat from the shore. 

Occasionally we stopped at the Sugar rosas for the newly expressed 
juice of the sugar cane. I found the banks of the river were gradually 
increasing in height as we advanced, and whenever we landed had reason 
to admire the apparent fertility of the soil, it as yet, all appeared to be of 
an alluvial nature; the trees were very large, in the branches of which 
sported many a drove of playful Monkeys. Bon Cato was particularly 
pleased with the antic tricks of the various species, along the banks of the 
river, their long tails wound around the branch, chattering with noisy 
mirth, or grinning with a hideousness that gave us a good view of their 
formidable teeth. The beautiful Maccaws, belonging to the parrot family, 
came in for a full share of our admiration, with their most brilliant colors; 
but Cato particularly admired the rich and easily worked Button-tree lands, 
of which such extensive tracts yet wild, are at the disposal of any energetic 
fearless squatter who might choose any portion of them and make his own 



Legacy of IIistortcal leanings. 481 

hy jyossession — an indispntahlc title. We hud a glimpse of the four last 
of a drove of wild hogs that were scampering off, over a low piece of Sa- 
vanna; the boatmen called us too late to see all. These hogs are found 
in great numbers on the Magdalona, they are about the size of our " grass 
breeds" at home, though not so plump. Their legs are longer, more deli- 
cate and better adapted for running; their color is gray, their hair or 
bristles coarse and not very thick set. I had seen a captured wild hog, 
but never met them in a disorderly drove till now. 

I cannot say of this country as a traveler did of the Floridas, " that 
there are forty bushels of frogs to the acre and alligators enough in the 
waters to fence them in," but this being the season for the breeding of 
the alligator or American crocodile we passed a great many of them. I 
might say that they are as plenty as flies in the dog-days, and marrow 
enough in the musquitoes bones, hovering over their heads to fatten them. 
This might be thought by the uninformed, an exaggeration, and possibly 
bring into disrepute the hitherto indisputable veracity of all travelers' manu- 
scripts, yet I must say the numbers of alligators are unlimited. The old 
ones are from twelve to nineteen feet long, yet very timid, they always 
slide from the sunny bank into the water, at the sight of a boat before we 
could get to them. We passed many a brood of young ones (not long from 
the shell, being from six to twelve inches long ;) it was amusing to see 
them huddling close against the sand bank when they heard us coming, 
and then to follow one another like a flock of young ducks into the water 
at our near approach. Pedraza or the rocky is the only and first place a 
stone is to be met with, of any size soever since the commencement of our 
voyage. On the west side of the river nearly opposite Pedraza, stand the 
two villages of old and new Barrencas, through this place runs the direct 
road from Carthagena to Bogota. 

Early next morning we reached La Travasea, a high rocky bluiF, the 
perpendicular sides of which displayed strata of stone of many different 
hues and kinds ; the torrent at its base is so powerful that no boats caa 
pass, and of course all arriving here are obliged to cross over to the op- 
posite side of the river; which circumstance gives the place its name, viz, 
the ferry. After this we came to an extensive bed of genuine Oyster-.s'/ie//.s, 
(alas for the admiring eyes of the epicure, the luscious fat morsel was not 
t\iQVQ)only sheik, which lay imbedded in a bank of twenty-five or thirty 
feet height, about ten feet above the level of the water. When they were 
deposited there, and how long since their native salt element receded over 
one hundred miles from them is beyond, at least my conjecture. We pur- 
chased some of the finest oranges I ever tasted, for a real, a Spanish coin 
iu value 12^ cts. per hundred, with our other supplies at Teneriffe which 
stands on a roUingpiece of ground on theeastside in the province of Santa 
Martha. During the revolution it was, for a long time, the strong hold 
of the Royalist party in this quarter, but eventually was taken, plundered 
and burnt by the Patriots in 1813. The walls yet standing prove it to 
have once been a rich and flourishing place, but the torch has so prostrated 
it, that it never has and perhaps will not for a long time to come, recover 
its pristine prosperity. 

A few Indian hovels alone have risen from the ashes of the once proud 
Teneriffe. The walls of the Cathedral remain standing entire ; from their 
extent and specimens of stucco work &c. still remaining inside, it un- 
doubtedly must have been a most splendid edifice ; the fayade is designed 
61 



482 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

with more taste than any other building of the kind that I have seen in the 
country. Curiosity induced me to examine very particularly the construc- 
tion of the niches, in which the blessed injages had formerly stood in their 
pomp to receive the vows of the devotees. I observed an open communi- 
cation or channel, leading from under the spot that must have been covered 
by the pedestal of the image, through the wall to another apartment, a 
sort of speaking trumpet, by which the zealous priest has perhaps on some 
special occasions put words in the mouth of the saints, which no doubt did 
much to edify or console the wounded spirit of the devout parishoner, 
and as a sequence aid the cau.se of Christianity. The monastery or nun- 
nery and private buildings have not been able so effectually to resist the 
force of the conflagration and of time, their scattered fragments mark the 
ground in every direction. 

The Indian inhabitants realize something from sale of the crotches of 
the lignum-vitfe tree to the bogadors ; they always keep a large quantity 
on hand, and all boats' passing by, stop to replace those lost from their 
vessels by a new supply. The only cultivated patches we notice are in 
the immediate vicinity of the little villages; the intervals between them 
are the great Savannas which are covered with a long coarse grass, re- 
sembling cornstalks in height and appearance, they are entirely destitute 
of trees yet their rich and verdant clothing relieves the monotony of the 
scene ; they are never visited except by the innumerable wild game that 
flock to these sunny plains for nutriment. I had a wild goose chase on 
one of these Savannas which I never wanted to repeat. In passing one 
of them, we saw a very large flock of great birds about the size of a com- 
mon goose, sitting on some trees, on the further side about a furlong (^ 
of a mile) oflF, and as our provisions were getting rather low it was deter- 
mined that I should land to get a shot at them, accordingly I started to 
secure some game for our dinner. I found much difiiculty in making my 
way through the luxuriant grass, which in its growth had fallen, by its 
own weight creating an endless mat of great thickness on the ground, and 
then again rising to the height of six or eight feet, making an almost im- 
passible barrier to pedestrians. I succeeded, however, in passing through 
to the woods, but as I advanced this flock of birds, containing at least 
one thousand, flew from tree to tree leading me a great distance from my 
place of entrance and at length by their all flying off^ in a body I lost my 
shot. That was not all, for I found I had lost myself, however, by taking 
an observation of the sun, I again found my way back to the river but 
far from the boat, which I could not see on account of the height of the 
reeds ; and there I stood completely exhausted with the perspiration roll- 
ing ofi' me in rivulets from my exertions, while the raging hot meridian 
sun poured forth his burning rays on my unsheltered, trembling frame, 
with the most unrelenting rigor. No boat was in sight and I had ample 
time for reflection on the unpleasantness of my situation, but at length 
the bogas heard my hail, and I had the pleasure of hearing their re- 
sponse ; shortly after to my great delight the boat came along from below, 
but we had no fat goose for dinner. The next morning we landed at a 
rosa and I shot two small turkeys with which Cato made a fine soup, 
they proved a timely supply as our meats were all consumed. We ran by 
St. Fernando with other places and at night were hailed by the guard in 
the outskirts of Mompox with " Qulen viva " (who lives) ; our patron 
answered " Colombianos," when we were ordered ashore and detained ac- 
cording to custom till morningr. 



Legacy of lIiriToiiicAL Gleanings. 483 

Wc saw twonty-four towns and villages from the river, between IJarran- 
quilla and Moiupox, they are from two to ten lea<^ues apart ; the land is 
extremely fertile, and well timbered except in the immediate vicinity of those 
towns, where a few of the industrious ones have plantations to supply their 
more indolent fellow beings with bananas, yams, juca and other cseulents. 
The black cattle, the principal source of wealth range through the woods 
and savannas, where nature supplies them with never failing and abundant 
crops of grass resembling cornstalks. The owners take no other trouble with 
them, than to make a general collection once a year, for the purpose of mark- 
ing the calves and securing such as they intend for slaughtering or market ; 
but notwithstanding the uninterrupted growth, early maturity and 
consequently little trouble of rearing cattle, the price is as high as at 
home. Flour is prepared about one hundred miles above this, but for 
want of good mills, is black though sweet. The United States flour 
always has the preference in market, but the scarcity is so great here 
and on the sea coast that it readily brings $45 per barrel now, it is 
never less here than $16. These facts I can assure you, do not tend in 
the least to destroy my fondest hopes ; time and experience will show 
me their reality or falsity. 

Edward took the place of his brother as far as this, whence he 
returned home in a few days, whilst I for the convenience of plenty of 
room and a large deck for promenade, am to-morrow to shift my baggage 
and cooking establishment aboard one of the large boats which are now 
here, and which in my last I spoke of as having left previous to us. 
I shall go with the large vessel as far as Nare — about 400 miles — the 
remaining 200 miles, (to Honda) of the river being full of rapids, I 
shall for the sake of expedition and to avoid too much tediousness, take a 
very small boat and push on with all speed. My provisions, letters and 
every thing that is required is being prepared, and all will be ready before 
the boats are dispatched, which is a bothersome job from the variety of 
obstructions thrown in the way of commerce by the Laws of the Country ; 
it requires a long time among these dilatory officials to procure passports 
&c. Don Antonia Libre joins his uncle, aunt and family here, I of course 
did not wish to attach myself to his party when I heard of that arrange- 
ment, but will probably be in Bogota a month before them. I have an 
itinerary attached to my journal of the places through and by which I 
passed -— but an enumeration of these Spanish and Indian names, cannot 
be at all interesting to the reader, I therefore leave the journal to tell you 
at some future day of all the cities, villages or hamlets, its writer may see, 
as also many other minor things that escape my mind when scribbling ofi" 
my unpremeditated letters. The guard who put a veto on our landing at 
night, is one of the appendages of the Custom House stationed here to 
prevent smuggling. It being nine o'clock we I'ound the three boats' (dis- 
patched by G^^len from liarranquilla with merchandize) decks were covered 
with the toldos of the bogas, each man having one, and by tiie light of a 
brilliant moon they looked most elegantly. Tlie following morning we 
all were permitted to depart, and entered the City about tiie same time, 
a large company ; the bogas of all the boats to make a <;reat display, sing- 
ing and stamping most lustily. The great arrival brought all the citizens 
out to view the sight. PMward landed immediately after touching at the 
Custom House dock, and in a short time returned with Mr. Kic^hard R. 
Nicholson who kindly invited us to land and make his house our qu irfers 
during our stay which invitation was thankfully accepted. My trunks 



484 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

after passing the superficial examination of the Guarda IMayor were 
carried to our new abode, we soon foHowed and heartily partook of a 
breakfast which was awaiting us. This being finished we called upon 
the Governor several times, but not finding him in we left our passports 
■while Edward went about his business and I to see the town. 

Mompox stands on an island, forming a province by itself; it docs not 
contain much breadth, having only three or four streets, but its length is 
between two and three miles. The length lies on the river, and has all 
been protected by a substantial brick wall, well cemented, of Spanish 
erection from the encroachments of the current. This, however, is suf- 
fered by the Colombians to decay; many parts of it having, for want of a 
little precaution, been undermined and now lies in huge masses in the 
stream ; while the baTik it formerly supported is by piece-meal following, 
and the houses standing on it must eventually pursue the same course. 
The part of the wall still remaining is a monument of Spanish enterprise 
and munificence ; it is a great ornament as well as useful to the place. It, 
with the strong fortifications of Carthagena and other public works give 
sufiicient evidence, that if their sway was a severe one, they did not send 
all the revenues of tiie country to Spain, but appropriated a part to the 
permanent improvement of this land, which is more than the natives can 
boast of. There are from 8 to 12,000 inhabitants, the houses generally 
built of stone with tile roofs. I think it the warmest place in Colombia. 

I have been advised since I commenced this letter, by persons who have 
experience on the river, to give up the idea of going in the large boat as 
her motions must necessarily be so slow against the numerous rapids, that 
it will be thrice the time in performing the journey that a small one 
would ; also, by so long an exposure to the extreme heat the efi'ect 
would be to destroy my appetite and perhaps sicken me. As I have no 
very particular desire for any sort of arrangement like that, "at present, I 
have followed the well meaning advice and contracted with a Don Rod- 
riguea for a boat which is to leave to morrow and land me in Honda in 
eighteen days, There is no doubt then that I will, long before you receive 
this, be with your old friend, who by the way, is at housekeeping with 
borrowed furniture, his own not having yet arrived when my informant 
left him. 

Edward succeeded in getting his boats on the return track three days 
after his arrival, and I was to have followed the next day ; but when the 
boat in which I was to have embarked, came up and all my goods and 
chattels abroad, it was discovered that the old rascally patron had con- 
cealed, with his tatters, a hole in the stern, through which the water oozed 
so fast after the boat felt the extra weight, that we would have sunk in ten 
minutes if we had proceeded. We of course refused this and demanded 
another boat, it was two days before the other made its appearance. To 
show how punctilious these officers of Government are, particularly when 
they imagine the least tittle of their own dignity is at stake, I'll note u little 
circuuistance that took place here in relation to myself. I had scarcely re- 
housed my luggage from the leaky boat, on the 15th, when Nicholson 
came and told me that the Governor had sent for me. I immediately 
dressed myself and accompanied Nicholson, Edward and the messenger. 
On the way I was given to understand by my friends that I was in effect 
a prisoner, though His Excellency had gone to work in his most polite 
manner to arrest me, by dispatching as messenger the Guarda-Mayor 
with a broad sioord instead of a common guard ; however you may suppose 



Legacy of IIistouical Gleanings. 485 

I did not feel in a very amiable humor when informed of this contre-lcmps. 
I hurried on to the official room where Nicholson gave me an introduction, 
on which the Governor told Nicholson that he was surprised ly, who so 
well knew the regulations in those matters, had not called with his i^uest 
to pay the customary visit due from all strangers, and that he had exposed 
himself and Mr. Van 11. to the penalty of the neglect, in not reporting me 
within 48 hours after my arrival (S8 apiece.) I replied by saying in 
English, which language he well understood, that I for my part, was 
equally surprised at being made a prisoner on that ground, as I had made 
three unsuccessful attempts to obtain an interview with him. With which 
fact I had presumed him to have been acquainted through his secretaries, 
particularly after receiving through IMr. Glen this passport handing him 
the paper. His Excellency was quite confused when he saw his own sig- 
nature (F. Aldercrutz) appended to it. After a little hesitation he as- 
sured me that it was all a mistake, that I had not heen a prisoner, that he 
had merely sent for me, without knowing who I was, upon being told that 
an Englishman, whom he had not seen, was about leaving Mompox to go 
up the river tliat morning. Upon Nicholson (who by the way was happy 
to get rid so easily of the fine) telling the Governor that I felt so indignant 
at the treatment, that I would probably make a representation of the case 
to the U. States Minister, he turned round and assured me that he had 
great respect for my country and felt friendly towards my countrymen and 
hoped I did not feel hurt at the detention, repeating his regret at the mis- 
take. This Governor is a Swede, elevated, as all the principal officers here 
are, for his military services, to his present situation, he is very strict in 
exacting all the rules of etiquette from strangers, but on the whole is a 
fine fellow. I came off quite pleased with him. I must close as I am to 
dine with Glen at a Mr. Traverse formerly of Baltimore. 

My love to all. Yours truly, Hens. Van Hensslaeu. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany. 

Governor Van Ness to General Van Rensselaer. 

My Dear Sir, Washington City May 14, 1829. 

I have the satisfaction to inform you that you are perfectly safe. AVhat 
I write I knoio. But I must however, request that you will consider this 
letter for the present, most sacredly confidential. Do not even mention 
or expose my name to your friends Genl. Van Rensselaer and Mr. Westerlo, 
as they are both, and long have been unfriendly to me, and would injure 
me whenever it should be in their power. I shall see you in a few days, 
when I will cive you particulars. Yours cordially, 

The Honb'le. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M. Albany. C. P. Van Ness. 

Governor Cornelius P. Van Ness was at this time apjiointed by Presi- 
dent Jackson minister plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary to Spain. 

Hon. Edward Lwingston, to Gen. Van Rensselaer. 

My dear Sir, New York, May 28, 1829. 

Your letter reached me in the back parts of Pennsylvania some con- 
siderable time after its date, and I did not answer it until I should have 
in some effectual manner complied with the request it contained. This I 
did not do by writing to the P. M. Genl. with whom I had no personal 
acquaintance, but by an interview with the President himself in a short 
visit, from which 1 have just returned. And I am Authorized to assure 
you, that no circumstance (1 have used his own expressions) but improper 



486 Leqacy of Historical Gleanings. 

conduct which he well knows cannot exist in your case, and which he has 
never heard charged, would induce him to deprive you of the office. lie 
spoke iu the highest terms of your Character and Services, and desired 
me to say, that you might be perfectly easy on the subject. I am happy 
Sir, in being able to give you so satisfactory an account of the Commissiun 
with which you honored me, as well as the opportunity it affords ine of 
assuring you of my high Esteem and respect, being with great regard 
Your most obedt. Sevt. Edw. Livingston. 

Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer, P. M. Albany. 

The Citizens of Albany to the Post Master General. 

Sir, Albany May 20th, 1829. 

The undersigned Citizens of Albany, have heard with surprise and re- 
gret, that repeated efforts have been made, to produce the removal of 
General Solomon Van Rensselaer from the Office of Post Master of this 

The gallant and patriotic services of Gen. Van Rensselaer are so inti- 
mately blended with the history of his Country, that it becomes unneces- 
sary for us to state the strong claims that he has on public gratitude. A 
Soldier who has borne forward our national Eagle triumphantly in two 
wars, ought not, and we are confident will not, be sacrificed by a generous 
government without strong and good cause. 

Since General Van Rensselaer has held the appointment of Post Master, 
the duties of the office have been discharged with ability, and with a con- 
stant regard to the public convenience. We are confident, that if all our 
fellow Citizens could express their opinions, a great majority embracing 
the intelligence, character and wealth of the City, would unite with us iu 
this just testimonial. 

It has however been urged as an objection to General Van Rensselaer, 
that he was an opponent of the present administration, and that party 
policy therefore requires his removal. This ungenerous and false allega- 
tion has chiefly induced the undersigned to make this communication. 
They well know, that during the last Presidential election. General Van 
Rensselaer accorded with them in sentiments, and was friendly to the elec- 
tion of our present distinguished Chief Magistrate. 

He felt and expressed to his friends, the delicacy of his situation as 
Post Master, and may have been restrained by a sense of duty, from suf- 
fering any imputations to attach to him as a public officer (clothed with 
peculiar and delicate powers) by embarking as a zealous partizan in the 
controversy. On all proper occasions his sentiments and preference were 
frankly and freely avowed. 

Very respectfully your Obedient Servants, 

John Townsend, Isaiah Townsend, 

Joseph Alexander, G. Y. Lansing, 
Ebenezar Baldwin, J. L. A^iele, 
Herman V. Hart, Simeon De Witt, 
William James, N. F. Beck, 

Abra. G. Lansing, John R. Bleecker, 
Peter Gansevoort, Francis Bloodgood, 
R. V. De Witt, Philip S. Parker. 

The undersigned has seen the above communication and would have 
cheerfully signed it, had he not been restrained by the circumstance that 



Legacy op IItstorical GleaninOv*?. 487 

he is a resident of another County. lie most fully accords in the senti- 
ments and views of the signers and bear his cheerful testimony to the 
truth of the facts therein stated. Pierre Van Cortlandt. 

To the Hon. Willisim F. Barry, Post Master General &c., Washington. 

Gen. Van Cortlandt to Gen. Van Rcnnselaer. 
Dear Sir, New York, June 25, 1829. 

Mr. Moore the Embassador to South America arrived here yesterday, 
lie sails from this port in a few days. I tiiink it would be well for you to 
con)e down immediately if you wish to see him before his departure, lie 
has put up at Mrs. Southards in IJroadWay, just below Grace Church. 
, Yours truly. 

Pierre Van Cortlandt. 
Solomon Van Rensselaer Esqr., P. M. Albany. 

Gen. Van Rensselaer to Ms Wife. 
Dear Harriot, New York June 29, 1829. 

I have not seen enough of Moore to judge of him, I will know more of him 
before I leave this, but he appears to be frank and candid. I could not 
expect that he would have said more than he did, nor would I have done 
and said as much about a Stranger. He mentioned that Dr. Davis, Major 
Davis and Gen. Van Cortlandt were my warm friends, and that he had 
heard enough about myself at Washington. That Van Buren and his 
friends might as well keep themselvcsquiet for they could do nothing against 
me, that Van Buren was trying to make a party of his own, but it would 
not do, that he was perfectly understood. Swarthowdt the Collector of this 
port, told me, that Van Buren had opposed his appointment, and that he 
had heard, that they, Van Buren & co — opposed me also. He has written 
on to know the facts and if any thing is necessary to be done, he will pro- 
cure for me an overwhelming petition from this city. This can easily be 
done, Genls. Golden, Bogardus, Morton, Oakley, Hoffman, Jones, Hone, 
the Clinton family and others will go all lengths. Kiss all for me. 

Yours affectionately and Sincerely. 

Mrs. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. Sol. Van Rensselaer. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to Ms Father. 
Dear Father, Bogota July 12, 1829. 

I finished No. 5 at Mompox sooner than 1 intended in order to make one 
at a Yankee dinner party, which I can assure you is a rare thing in that 
part of the world ; there were five of us together and a season of great 
enjoyment. We had the condescension to consider P]dward Glen a 
Yankee pro. tempore., which made us all birds of a feather, and enabled 
us to enjoy, with greater relish the ham, codfish and mince pie importa- 
tions from the United States. Our good host Mr. Traverse kindly offered 
me any books I might choose to amuse myself with in going up the river. 
I soon selected about a score — Scotts, Coopers, Fieldings and Irving's 
works — which he sent to my lodgings, the reperusal of them I found 
very pleasant. After a delay at 3Iompox, from May 11th, I got under 
weigh in reality on the 17th, and was quite satisfied with fair promises 
of a speedy trip. It would have been quite laughable to a disinterested 
person, understanding our individual feelings to have witnes.sed the part- 
ing between Edward and myself; but to have felt the herculean grasp of our 
hands, and to have contrasted that with the stoical indifference with which 



488 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

our adieus were prouounced ; he would, no doubt have given us due credit 
for our philosophy. The scene recalleii a similar one to uiind, that oc- 
curred between a gallant old friend at home and myself, but never n)ind, 
let those who enjoy a laugh at such heart trials, grin like monkeys : I 
always recover my humor in admiring their ivixdom or fol/i/, as it may be. 
My boat, for the sake of expedition, was one of the smallest used on the 
river by travelers j it was manned by the patron and two bogadors, just 
large enough to accommodate us all, and nothing to spare. 

To give you an idea of the progress of large boats, I will mention that 
I passed about half way between Mompox and Honda 621 miles apart, 
three champiins with merchandize having a collective crew of sixty men, 
which had cleared two months previous from the former place. Their 
dilatoriness is owing to the uncommonly late rising of the river. Each 
man receives his $14 per trip ; their work is so very laborious that they 
are allowed the privilege of recruiting their enervated bodies by remain- 
ino- a certain number of days at specified places. My patron and bogadors, 
all Indians, had made this trip so often, and knowing now all the stopping 
sites as well as stage horses, I had the utmost difficulty to prevent their 
visiting the old haunts. Still, however, in spite of all my eiForts, they 
did manage to stop three different times by falling desperately sick, but 
that sickness always left them by the next morning, when they would go 
on again with new vigor for a few more days. We had passed, two days 
after leaving Penon, the three boats of the Glens on thesamedestination with 
us, in one of which 1 had expected to have continued my journey. 
Many of the crew who had so frequently seen me during my stay ia 
Barranquilla, expressed pleasure at our meeting and regret at parting 
with a friend of their employer's house. I left them after finding that 
all was going on well ; they looked really so sorrowful, that I could not 
but pity and sympathize with them. Some of the number, though of a 
" lowly condition " were genuine worthy fellows, who had for years, 
many years been truly faithful to their masters. Edward had stood as 
Compiidre or protector at his marriage. I was, however, thankful not to 
have been so long detained even with the advantages of more space in 
these larger boats. 

The palm leaf toldo — impenetrable to heat or rain, was scarcely high 
enough to admit of my sitting upright, but then my baggage was so 
arranged that I could recline back upon it partly in a sitting, partly in a 
lying posture or extended full length in the bottom of the boat, with my 
mat underneath engaged in reading or writing or my Spanish studies. 
As the boga in front (assisted ever and anon by Cato), required all the 
space between my toldo and the prow, equipped with his light pole, rounded 
slightly, resting against his naked breast as with the old boatmen of the 
Mississippi, engaged in propelling the vessel, and as the cooking utensils, 
boga's baggage, &c., lumbered up all the vacancy in the stern — I of course 
was obliged to remain constantly housed while under headway. This 
would have been a matter of choice, in the heat of the day, when the 
thermometer ranges over 100°, but the confinement was quite irksome in 
the fine mornings and evenings. At the commencement I found the 
movement of the little champau very uncomfortable; its diminutive size, 
so essential to speed, was against its stability ; every motion of the boat- 
men would make her roll so much, that it was long before I could accustom 
myself to the motion. It was a day or so too, before I could abstract my 
attention from the stamping, jarring footsteps so immediately overhead, 



Legacy of Historical 'GLEANiNas. 489 

on top of the toldo; this together with the constant, unvaried chant at 
first an intolerable nuisance, soon became unnoticed, habit is every tiling-, 
and could receive as much pleasure in the perusal of an entertainiuj^ book 
as ever, for you know my disposition is generally happy in accommodat- 
ing itself to every situation and inconvenience. The first night we only 
succeeded in reaching the romantic little Indian hamlet of Minchiqueo, 
two leagues from Mompox in the same province. I directed my " Snow 
Ball" (as Uncle Peter calls Cato) to take my bedding, &c., ashore and 
I rejoiced in an opportunity once more of perambulating after my close 
confinement in the small boat. 

The gloomy, wild, impenetrable forest, inclosing on the three sides the 
little plot of ten or fifteen acres of cleared ground on which the hamlet 
stands, gives undisturbed shelter to the hordes of large red monkeys, 
whose growl, at this hour, so much resembling the distant roar of lions; 
together with the occasional peculiar cry of the hoarse noted macmos, as 
flitting overhead in piirs and exposing to view, in the last rays of the 
dipping sun, the gaudiness of their dress they wend to their nightly re- 
treat, were the only interruptions to the serenity of the scene. 1 had 
often admired the beauty of this bird, but here was a new variety ; many 
a pair with deep scarlet plumage passed over among the green, blue and 
parti- colored ones. I had never before seen this species and was " smitten 
at first sight," a thing Memory says is no novelty to a susceptive youth 
as myself. It is the invariable habit of the guaycamdijo to take this twi- 
light flight, as is the case with all birds of the genus belonging to the 
parrot family, from this the chief of the tribe down to the twittering 
little paroquet and they tend not a little to enhance the beauty of the de- 
lightful evenings of this tropical climate. These birds have their nests 
in high hollow trees and subsist on the grains and luscious fruits. Upon 
returning from my walk, I found Oatb had spread my mat under a cluster 
of Orange trees, with the tolda hanging over it, lashed to the trunks of 
two others of the same kind. I of course applauded his taste in selecting 
so fragrant a spot ; for the trees though loaded with fruit in every stage, 
had still plenty of aromatic blossoms left to fill the air with " balmy 
sweets," and I anticipated the delectable sleep I subsequently enjoyed in 
so odoriferous a resting place. The orange is not the only fruit flourish- 
ing here, for in the intervals between the scattering huts, sported in all 
its pride and lofty grandeur the Cocoa tree, whose long feathery leaves 
wave so gracefully to the gentle evening breeze, and whose clusters of 
fruit, so grateful to the taste, interspersed amongst those leaves, protected 
from the sun and rains by this natural umbreHa, ever afford such a temp- 
tation to the hungry or thirsty gormandizer. There is another fruit here, 
now in full maturity, is of a very perishable nature, inclosed in a rusty 
coat, having two black seeds : it is about the size of a common blue plum, 
very mellow and of an exquisite flavor, its name was given but has escaped 
nie. The Bananas abound in the most thrifty style, which together with 
limes, succulent lemons, pine-apples and other tropical fruits contribute to 
form the best collection 1 had heretofore met with at any one place in the 
country. The pine- apple appears to grow best in the shade, I found it 
sheltered under the broad leaves of the banana plant ; each apple is nour- 
ished by itself, at the end of a solitary stem, rising from the centre of a 
tuft of long dagger like shaped grass ; the blade is very thick and strong, 
pointed with a thorn. 

62 



490 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

The next morning we were under headway before daylight, and the 
bogas having taken to their task with too much zeal, began to lay in their 
work towards the afternoon, and about 4 o'clock came to a stop opposite a 
lonely hut. They soon commenced washing out the boat, securing their 
palancas along side, &c., their last duties at the close of a day's work. T, 
however, very soon broke in upon these, to them pleasant duties, by order- 
ing them to go on still further ; but they did not like this interference of 
mine, with their avocations, at all. They told me that there was no other 
house to stop at for leagues ahead, nothing but 'play a (the shore or strand) 
to rest upon. To all their murmurings I replied that I did not want a 
house to sleep in. I had slept on sandbars before, and insisted upon their 
moving on, which they did very reluctantly and I as reluctantly again 
embarked having a severe headache and feeling excessively tired. But 
I deemed it best to initiate the bogas into my ways as soon as possible and 
to let them sec that I would be obeyed. The rascals seeing me indisposed 
thought to punish me by keeping on quite late now they were again 
started ; and under a pretence of not being able to find a place, kept on 
past several idaya (as Cato told me) till near ten o'clock ; and then came 
to, along side of what had er&t heen an alligators hatching place in a sand 
bank. The empty and curled up egg-shells of this reptile, which were 
strewed about in such quantities, indicated this to have really been the 
site chosen, by the female, for depositing her eggs in the sand and trusting 
to the sun's hot rays to hatch out her young ones. By this time my 
fatigue and malady had increased so much that I did not feel very par- 
ticular as to my place of lodging. Cato very quickly had the shells brushed 
away from a smooth spot and the tolda's in order for nestling under, and 
I as quickly crawled in while the lower edges of the musquito-bars were 
carefully tucked under my mat. I had previously given my black snow- 
ball directions to call me when the moon, now in its last quarter, was in 
a line with the top of a tree which I designated ; and also how to act, in 
case that any of the ccii/man or alligators should pay any of us a visit, in 
the night, with the intention of making a meal of either of us ; a thing 
which the negro apprehended more than anything else on the river. 

I soon fell soundly asleep, but how long I had been in that state, I cannot 
tell, I only know that wheu fairly awake I found myself sitting upright, under 
the toldo which was visibly and violeatly agitated by some external agency ; 
my pistols were in one hand and sword in the other. The movement of my 
toldo must, undoubtedly, have aroused me, and instinct caused me to seize 
my arms, for I distinctly recollect that surprise, at finding myself in this 
warlike attitude, was the Jiist unmiugled emotion of my waking sense. 
Then like a flash of lightning the idea of a cayman's visit came across my 
mind and simultaneously I saw, by the light of the moon just rising over 
the top of the trees, through the thin fabric of my toldo, a dark object 
crawling or moving and stoutly shaking the dark side of Cato's toldo, one 
cord of which being fastened to the same stake with my own communicated 
all its motion to both. My idea that a cayman had come for a feast was 
now fully confirmed by this dark lookinij busy apparition, I cocked my 
pistols but the distance and a knowlege of the cayman's toughness of hide 
determined me to change my plan of operations. I thought it the better 
plan to throw myself between the toldos and the river, then to attack the 
depredator in his retreat; for you know if I had commenced bombarding 
the enemy at too long a distance, when he was so well protected, it would 
have been more than probable that the firing would have been without 



Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 491 

effect on such a foe, then I should have not only lost my ammunition but 
peradventure my negro too. I was out of the tolda as quick as thought, 
but wishing to ascertain, before f^ommencing the attack, after gaining my 
position, where Cato was, I called out to him. When, will you believe it 
instead of coming to me carrying his head under his arm, or his leg on 
his shoulder, he appeared without any mark of a conflict with an alligator 
and answered ^'Sir" as boldly and as plainly as I had ever heard him 
speak that word. A thought then struck me, but 1 was not yet sure and 
I soon asked ''what the devil he was doing there?". He answered that 
" the musquitoes had got under his toldo and that he had been shaking 
them out," which convinced me that he had been the dark object under 
the dark side of the toldo. I went to bed again somewhat relieved and 
ere long fast asleep but was once more awakened by the sonorous voice of 
Cato now calling out to the bogas 'vayamonos muchachones," " let us go 
away boys," and the moou being at the point designated, we were soon 
voyagers along the winding banks of the river. , 

At Penon, an Indian village at which we staid over night, the toldo was 
pitched under the trees in one of the main streets. During this operatioa 
we had plenty of spectators who came to offer to so rare a customer as a 
hldnco or white man their hdllo — Indian meal boiled in plantain leaves — 
but I purchased earthen pots for cookery to make my stock of kitchen 
furniture complete. The crew were by their bargain obliged to procure 
their own provisions and of course they had a larder of their own. On 
the sixth day after leaving Mompox, in which we had passed nine Indian 
hamlets, we reached the rather large village of Morales, early in the after 
noon. This place is beautifully decorated by a row of thrifty cocoanut 
trees on the river's bank, from one extremity of the vill to the other, and 
is one of the regular stopping places for the hard working bogas who man 
the large boats, they require a rest of one or two days. In my light vessel 
this repose was not at all required for the bogas, but one of them landed 
here on pretence of business, and did not make his appearance till the next 
morning, for fear I would compel them to go on still further ; but I did 
not feel at all vexed, for the change was as pleasant to me as to them. 

The boatmen are always paid in advance for their jobs, which makes 
them heedless of the time they consume in performing them ; owing to 
this many of the large boats are three months in accomplishing the 
voyage, when two should answer. Nothing seems to excite the ambition 
of these improvident creatures. In the course of my rambles, that after- 
noon, I came across two foreigners, pas.sengers in one of the seven 
champans lying before this place ; they were three weeks from Mompox 
and both bound for the salt mines near Bogota. One was a Cornish 
miner, the other a Frenchman but he spoke better English than the 
Briton. They have been here detained two days beyond the allotted 
time for resting, in consequence of a row^ among the crews of the different 
boats, in which one of their bogas was completely disabled and their 
patron so badly wounded by niaciietes that they could not go on. The 
cause of quarrel was some trivial thing, which will cause some of these 
fellows to draw their knives and set them at cutting and slashing each 
other as if they were chopping up pumpkins for a stall fed ox. Nor do 
they require the usual stimulants of our home bullies — rum, to set them 
at loggerheads, for they scarcely ever get drunk ; indeed abstinence from 
strong liquors is here a universal virtue — necessity rather — for the 
climate is against the longevity of a hard drinker. Our Cornish miner, 



492 Legacy or IIistorical Gleanings. 

one of your little fellows only one inch taller than myself, (six feet four 
inches high) and proportionately built, had been most terribly annoyed by 
the mosquitoes ; his arms and legs, from the elbow and knee down to the 
nails of Engers and toes were nearly one continued sore, nor was his face 
or neck in a much better plight. 1 asked him " why he had not provided 
himself with a toldo." " Why dang it zur, I had un till the dom bogas 
stold it o'me of a night when I was sleepin." " You are a sound 
sleeper," says I. " Izz zur, I duz sleep sound, but when I wakt with their 
puUin it fra' under one and chassed them, I tumblet down, and they run 
in the booshes wi the toldo, an thats the last o' it." 

Our crew having assembled at the boat, quite early, we again started 
and on the fourth day after that came to, in the evening, at San Pablo 
where we remained next day to wash oijr clothes, buy provisions and to 
humor the bogas — who wished me to allow them one day for rest at this 
stO'piJt'nr/ jilace, and then they would go on to Honda without applying for 
the same favor again. Leaving Cato and the bogas cleansing their travel- 
ing clothes, I started with my gun on my shoulder, machete by my side, 
and compass in my hand to follow, in search of game and variety, a little 
path leading into the forest, which here as at all other Indian villages 
approximates so near and encloses with its almost impenetrable wilds those 
tiny spots of human cultivation and habitation. A walk of a mile along 
this path brought me to a cleared site of some thirty acres, formerly a 
plantation, but now the free grazing ground of jackasses, goats and cows. 
The heat of the sun in this close, unsheltered place, compelled me to add 
somewhat to the speed of my loitering gait in crossing over to gain one 
of the many sylvan tracks on the other side, where I re-assumed my lei- 
surely movements. While stretching my neck, in vain, and straining my 
eyes to get a sight of the " pavo " (turkeys and wood grouse) which at times 
resort here, could see or hear nothing save macaws, parrots, and monkeys. 
I had so frequently observed these interesting things that it seemed but 
dull sport. Whilst quenching my thirst at a " crystal stream " I was 
suddenly startled by a rustling in the underbrush at hand, and directly 
after had an indistinct glimpse of some animal running along, which, 
from its color, I supposed to be a deer. Snatching up my arms I followed 
the road he took which led me, in a very short time, to a little open vale, 
at the foot of a murmuring cascade. As soon as I broke into it from the 
woods, my ears were saluted by a stunning, shrill, unearthly shriek as 
piercing and uproarious a tumult as if all Bedlam had joined in a full 
chorus ! Jupiter Ammou ! ! I nearly fainted, my modesty received 
such an electrical shock ! ! ! My surprise may easily be imagined when 
I discovered in the little pool below the cascade some five or six tawny 
females up to their waist in water engaged in washing their soiled clothes. 
Among the pack of dogs, that also greeted my appearance and joined in 
concert to the female yell, was one whose dun color had led me, in the 
passing glance, to mistake him for a deer. I quickly beat a retreat and 
left the Naiads wallowing in their limpid Ibuutain and pursued my course 
hoatward, where I arrived with a stomach full of emptiness and legs full 
of weariness, without having shed any blood in my ramble except that of 
a pretty green snake which perished by decapitation. Quite satisfied with 
the exercise I had taken, the rest of the day was spent by me in reading 
and fishing. 

The last amusement had been resorted to in coming up the river only 
when the nature of the ground, at the resting or eating places, precluded 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 493 

the possibility of walking. Many such had turned up, and then we always 
endeavored to forget the deprivation from exercise, in the pleasures of the 
ever successful angling rod. We never made use of our hook and line 
without procuring at least a dish for ourselves, and very frequently we 
also hauled in enough for the bogas. The only kinds that took our bait 
were of the catfish tribe ; of the two species that we caught, one greatly 
resembles those of the Hudson river ; the other differs from it in the flat- 
ness of its head and in the construction of its beard, which grows the 
length of the fishes' body and from the circumstance is called hdrha by 
the boatmen. Both kinds are very plentiful, fat and in flavor excel any 
thing of the fish kind I ever tasted ; they are justly considered the best 
in the river. Some of them attain an enormous size, the largest one I 
ever saw was two feet and a half long ; but have no doubt they are fre- 
quently as large, if not larger, than those of the Mississippi or the Lakes; 
their fat is like that of mutton to the eye : the Indians boil without skin- 
ning them. There is nothing particularly interesting on the lower part 
of this river, it has a sameness that tires the traveler — a trip from one 
village to another gives a fair idea of the whole route. The village houses 
are all made of reeds and thatched with palmetto leaves ; no floors ; plenty 
of children and barking curs ; all looks dirty around them for they are 
poor, filthy and noisy. The only marks of tillage are found in the imme- 
diate vicinity of those vills, the rest, extending as far as the vision can 
trace, is a wild luxuriant wilderness. There is seldom any high back 
scenery to relieve the eye ; the lofty mountain peaks do not approach the 
river till near Honda, at which place, the base of the vast eminence, is in 
places laved by the diminished Magdalena, while the summit rises hun- 
dreds of feet above you, clothed with flowers, shrubs and all the brilliant 
trees of this wild reigon. Often when our boat was at anchor, while the 
ceremony of cooking was going on both morning and evening, have I 
wandered over the flats that spread out from the bottom of those hills to 
admire the richness of the soil, the perpetual verdure of the forests, the 
beauty of the birds or the general stillness and sublimity of the scene, to 
find myself chanting — when awakened from a revei*y — in my most dulcet 
notes those expressive words of Moore : " How great indeed had been our 
bliss, If Heav'n had but assign'd us. To live and die in scenes like this. 
With some we've left behind us." But it is impossible to impress on 
paper the strong emotions so frequently experienced during my travels in 
this beautiful country, so I will leave these romantic spots for the present. 
My gun afforded me not only plenty of sport, but was an indispensable 
implement in our very long passage. I had provided more than enough 
yams, tea, cofl'ee &c., still my store of salt meat as also that of the bogadors 
was only calculated for a trip of eighteen or twenty days, and we soon 
found the necessity of husbanding it as much as possibile. The Indian 
hamlets affording nothing but fruits, rarely eggs, and never meats of any 
kind, it was indeed fortunate a remedy was ever at hand in my trusty 
fusil. It was not an uncommon thing for us to have three or four wild 
turkeys, ducks or any other large unknown birds on hand at one time, so 
you may well suppose then, that our fare was none of the worst. My 
bogas always had their share of the fine game when I had a larger supply 
than I could preserve from decay, but when, as it sometimes happened, I 
had but a single bird for my own use they would aj)ply to me lor a gdrza 
or crane. These could always be obtained as the river abounds with them, 
they are quite fat and are eaten by the bogas with much gusto ; but I 



494 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

never could overcome my prejudice enough to taste them but once and 
then found them quite an agreeable addition to the impoverished con- 
tents and meagre supply of our ^'oUas" or earthen cooking pots. We 
also often made a short stop to allow the men an opportunity of gathering 
turtle s egijs. of which they found in some places large quantities. 

The turkeys, like all other forest birds here, are tough but very sweet 
meat ; the ducks assimilate much to our canvasbacks but in size and flavor 
are superior. The unknown bird is shaped like our woodcock, but the 
body is larger than a goose ; when .the skin is stripped ofi" it appeares like 
a solid lump of fat but are good eating and very tender ; they fly in im- 
mense flocks feeding on the sand bars. On the 3rd of June I secured 
among my little crew an exalted reputation for myself as one of the med- 
ical siiviins. In attempting to double one of the ^'peiions" or points 
against which the current sets with so much force as to make it very 
difficult, the boat being driven back as frequently occurs at those places 
with such velocity against the perpendicular bank, that the Patron was 
obliged to fend off with both hands to prevent our going to pieces. In 
doing which one of his hands was stung by a snake or some other reptile. 
The subtile poison caused the wound in a short time to become very pain- 
ful, as indicated by his piteous groans and pallid hue, likewise so much 
swollen that he became greatly alarmed and stopped the boat. I could 
not discover where the fangs had entered, and was astonished to see his 
hand increase in size so rapidly ; however I took the poor fellow under 
my protecting wing ; and whilst I was engaged in applying a ligature below 
the elbow, above the swelling, Cato was, with all the dispatch of one who saw 
the necessity, amalgamating the only ingredients I possessed, in which I 
had any confidence, or hope of proving a beneficial unction in this forlorn 
case. A cataplasm of sugar, salt and turpentine soap was soon well 
daubed on with unsparing hand, and then to obviate the necessity of re- 
maining in the wild, cheerless spot at which we then were, I made him 
crawl under the part of the toldo appropriated to Cato, that he might 
grunt there at his leisure, whilst a boga took his place and Cato the pa- 
lauca of the latter. Shortly after applying the soft poultice the invalid 
fancied the pain was eased, in fact the next day, on removing the band- 
ages the swelling had all disappeared. That accident was nearly the cause 
of proving a much greater one. 

Cato after giving up his berth under the tolda to the sick man had 
mounted the quarter deck with the palanca or pole in order to keep the 
boat moving that day. The little negro did great credit to his new avo- 
cation, and as long as he had " plain sailing" before him all went well, 
the little bark perhaps had never glided so swiftly through the waters as 
she did when propelled by him. liut after an hour or two, in attempting 
to double a difficult " peilon " where not only skill but great force was re- 
quisite for its accomplishment, the faithful negro who never was back- 
ward in any emergency was determined in this case to prove himself, at 
least, equal to the natives in their proper element. But alas ! the vanity 
of ambition ! In order to give a powerful heave, in pressing his pole 
against the limb of a tree diagonally overhead, it broke and down he plumped 
into the water with its rapid current where a fifteen foot palanca could 
find no bottom. It occurred at the turn where it would be difficult for a 
veteran swimmer to reach the trees or pendulous vines from the banks, 
over the vortex of violently whirling water where there are no soundings, 
for the stream conies rushing along with such force and then being so sud- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 495 

denly impeded by these large rocks as to form a raging whirlpool. This 
portentous accident would have proved fatal to the " land lubber," (as he 
knew not the art of swimming, and the stream that was in the act of bear- 
ing him away made such a stunning noise, together with the uninterrupted 
laboring cry of the bdgas, and extra motion of the boat were such common 
things, at these renons, as by this time not often to attract my notice,) but 
for the providential circumstance of my being at the mouth of the toldo 
waiting for a shot at a crimson spoon bill duck, which I had a few mo- 
ments before seen to alight on a point above us. While stretching out 
my neck to ascertain the precise situation of the bird, I observed the dan- 
gerous predicament of my darkey. Hastily throwing my gun aside, I 
forcibly snatched the paldnca from the hand of the forward bdga, who 
with the air of one petrified, was instinctively clinging to the vines on the 
bank, to prevent the boat going back. However I quickly broke his hold, 
he began to swear and refused me his pole, but that was no time for cere- 
mony and at my threat of throwing Mm overboard, he only replied "what 
a mau " and after I had as related, taken the pole by force, he squatted 
down in the bows of the boat and looked as vacant as if nothing was going 
on, both of the bdgas were too much stupified to lend their aid. One stout 
heave on the pole, aided by the rapids, brought me near enough to the 
receding but manfully struggling negro to extend him one end of it and 
he was soon hauled aboai'd — while the cayman was cheated of his meal. 
Then the paddles brought the boat along side the bank and we proceeded 
as usual on our route. 

I had seen '•'■ Snowball" splashing about in the waters of our own honnie 
Hudson some years since, he then was rescued from drowning through 
my instrumentality, and in spite of my intense anxiety at this time, I 
could not but remark, nor refrain from smiling (when the danger was 
past) at his ludicrous appearance at both times. His eyes were distended, 
and ever and anon, a spout issued from his mouth like that from the nos- 
trils of a whale. To my cheering and earnest cry of " paddle away my 
brave boy," he answered with a language something between a grunt and 
a groan ; but when I finally dragged him in the boat, he went to work 
asrain as if he had not been in the least jeopardy, or without betraying 
any signs of agitation at the adventure, simply remarking that " It was 
well for him there were no caymans just then in waiting." " Cayman^' 
is the Spanish of Alligator, in which the whole length oi' the river abounds. 
We had heard some report in Barranquilla of an Englishman having lost 
a sou by them on this stream, which was true as I subsequently discovered. 

The day following these nearly tragical events, wo reached the little 
town of San Bartolemo, and tarried one day ; by this time the Patrdn 
was fast recovering, we went on our way without any more trouble. Cato 
working in the cool parts of the day as he had previously and taking to 
the house when the heat was too intense. We again came across the 
large kind of birds after which I had a " wild goose chase" on the 
savannas below Mompox. I found them very shy, and made several vain 
attempts before I got a shot at them the first time, and then was com- 
pelled to fire at such a distance, that I only succeeded in crippling one 
out of an enormous flock, in such a manner that it fell into the water 
about 100 yards from the shore, where it immediately was drawn under, 
by one of the greedy caymans, which had crawled from the sunny sand 
bank at my approach. However these futile efforts made me better ac- 
quainted with their " manners aud customs," and afterwards procured as 



496 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

many as I pleased, killing seven, one day, with the two barrels. They are 
larger than our goose, with a dark fleshy head and neck, plumage white, 
shaped exactly like our woodcock, and the only bird I have met with in 
this country which can be called really fat, they are tolerably good eating. 

We now occasionally were favored with a distant view of the Andes 
which was an agreeable relief to the eye so long accustomed to the un- 
varying sight of the luxuriancy of the plains in the level country, but as 
we approached nearer, in our progress, towards those mountains we were 
the oftener disturbed from our sleep by tremendous showers of rain. The 
bdgas were frequently wet to the skin, I therefore willingly allowed a 
stoppage in the middle of an afternoon at the little village of Nare. This 
place like all other villages here, stands on a spot of cleared ground barely 
lai'ge enough to contain the huts, with a cheerless forest on three sides 
and the river in front. Not many hundred yards north of it, the very 
considerable stream of the Rio Nara comes sweeping down from the mount- 
ains in the Province of Antioquia to pay its tribute to the Magdalena. I 
here laid in a stock of pine apples, plums, sugar and chocolate, and after 
leaving it we more frequently came across the Cocoa tree, from the berry 
of which we concoct our delicious chocolate. These trees are cultivated 
in regular rows and much care is bestowed upon them ; nothing is suffered 
to grow under them (except the shade loving pine apple) they are kept well 
trimmed and never grow very large. The rough pods in which the 
berries are incased are a little in appearance like the fruit of the Calabosa 
which grows out of the trunk of the tree from the ground up, at irregular 
intervals and has a singular appearance. The cultivation of the fruit is 
a very profitable business and many extensive plantations are to be met 
on the upper part of the river. The most prosperous one of great extent 
is at the " Hacienda" (estate) de Palencaiio where I enjoyed a delightful 
stroll on the evening of June 14th after the excessive heat of the day 
among the cocoas, bananas, and sugar patches ; being afterwards kindly 
entertained with a cup of chocolate and some '■'■ dillces" — preserves — by 
the owner, a majestic hoary headed negro and his fat but cleanly spouse. 
Their mud covered reed house is tastefully flanked on each side with four 
or five uniform huts for their slaves, while everything about them is a 
model of neatness. 

The night after this a heavy shower so completely drenched the clothes 
of the b(5gas that I resolved the next morning to take advantage of the 
interval lost in drying them and in the preparations for breakfast to ascend 
a hill at the foot of which we were lying. These showers surprised us 
only at night as the sun is here too p awcrful to permit the clouds to collect 
in the day. I took my machete in hand but it was only with the greatest 
difliculty I succeeded in cutting my way through the wild banana, matted 
vines, briers and luxuriant plants until I came to a precipitous rock which 
crowned the summit. After a short search at the foot of the precipice I 
found a place where the ascent was practicable for an active body with 
good nerves. I made the attempt and with the aid of a friendly tree suc- 
ceeded in attaining half the height of the steep ; the other ten feet was 
surmounted a la mode of a chimney-sweep through a narrow fissure of the 
rock when all my fatigue was forgotten in the magnificence of the prospect 
and the refreshing coolness of the breeze. From the little rocky table the 
termination of this height, which perhaps had never before sustained a 
man, I jerked many a pebble into the muddy water of the rapid river 
which, in its winding course rolling from amidst the hills, forms, in its 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 497 

nearer approach, a peninsula the exact model of the scene from Mt. 
Holyoke on a more diminutive scale. The Magdalena forms its oxhow, at 
the foot of my hill, and then winds off watering, in its direction of moving, 
the richly coated savannas so beautifully dressed in verdure till it is lost 
in the distance. The resemblance to my favorite scene at home, was so 
striking that I forgot the toil and blisters — a consequent of accomplishing 
the ascent — and for a few agreeable moments imagination carried me to 
the society of a happy few on that bonny hill of Massachusetts. The 
delusion was soon put to flight by a " still small voice " from the pigmy 
form of Cato down on the beach 3 or 400 feet below. As the tone came 
up along the mountain's side it seemed like distant thunder; though his 
words could not be understood, the sound in reverberating along the craggy 
rocks seemed to have acquired a tenfold force ere it reached me. The 
cause of this untimely summons was easily </uessed and I left the dizzy 
height to partake of the breakfast prepared by Cato. 

Our bogas had so much difliculty to day — June 15 — in working against 
a current running at the rate of seven miles per hour that they threw aside 
their palancas in despair of getting around a peiion at 5 P. M. about one 
league from their final destination. This early stoppage I took advantage 
of to ascend to the top of another hill in company with Cato. This was 
not so arduous a task as the one I had accomplished in the morning although 
it was twice the height of the other for our course was not obstructed by 
vines and briers. After passing thi'ough the woods which cover the narrow 
flats lying between the river and the foot of the mountain, we found an 
open but very steep road. This hill like many others seen latterly, was 
completely devoid of trees, though thickly coated in a short growth of grass. 
From the summit the view was extensive and beautiful : on one side was 
seen the river rolling along through a fruitful valley with an occasional 
hut, or herd of cattle indicating that man was there to mar the quietude 
of the peaceful spot. On the j)ther side was displayed to our gaze the 
wildest and most picturesque succession of peaked hills rising one over the 
other that I ever beheld, I was perfectly fiiscinated with the novelty of the 
scene. After gazing awhile we set to rolling stones down the steep de- 
clivity and in places of craggy sides, then stand to see them bound along 
in their furious career, and listen to hear their thundering noise as it rose 
over the stillness of the evening from their coming in contact with other 
stones, till they were broken in fragments by the percussion from their 
precipitous descent, or lost in the distance to the sight and ear. This idle 
pastime was at length brought to a close, at our hearing music from the 
tail of a rattle snake which lay hid under a massive stone against which 
we had both concentrated our strength to dislodge from its bed to send 
down the declivity. "A word to the wise " is, or ought to be enough, so 
we left the wrathful snake in undisputed possession of its stone and shortly 
after started off in direction of the beacon fire, which was blazing by the 
side of our little biirgo where we arrived long after dark. The next day 
June IG we landed at 8 o'clock A. M. opposite the Budcija (storehouses) 
de Honda, and immediately walked up a distance of one league to the city 
to deliver my letters of introduction, from the Glens, to Senor Martin 
Avendano, who formerly was a clerk in their house. On presenting the 
letters at the door I was immediately invited in, where I found the whole 
family at breakfast; mine was ushered in, after they had finished, in hand- 
some style. Before I had finished, a fine looking young man of about 30 
63 



498 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

or 35 years, whom I had observed eating, at the general's table, in his 
shirt sleeves, put on a red military jacket and cap, then with a profound 
military salute, took his departure. Thinks I, there goes a drum-major as 
proud of his livery as a peacock of his tail and then dismissed all thought 
of him. 

Having understood that Senor A — had letters from General Harrison 
to me, who had as previously requested addressed to his care, went with 
him after finishing my meal, to his store and found two. The General 
expressed his pleasure at my having a servant with me, and stated that in- 
stead of an encumbrance, he would be an acquisition to him, as tbe servants 
here are so incompetent, and after giving me some directions about his 
furniture, which by this time had all gone on : he closed by informing me, 
who to draw on for money in case I wanted it ; that, however, was not ne- 
cessary, but it all goes to show the man. After reading my letter, S'' 
Aveudano suggested going to the Governor's office to show my passport, 
and take out a new one at once, as I wished to move on early the following 
morning; accordingly we went, and who did the Governor prove to be, 
but my polite drum-major. I was greatly surprised but my equanimity 
soon returned and Governor Posada was so favorably impressed by my 
powers of affability that nothing could equal his civility. He sent out his 
own servant to procure the mules for me to proceed on with; gave me a 
hammock to sleep in that night; and afterwards when we found none 
other was to be had in Honda, he offered me the use of his own English 
saddle without which my journey would not only have been unpleasant 
but extremely hazardous. I found Honda excessively warm, but in spite 
of the heat I rambled through every part of the earthquake battered place, 
to view the ruins of churches, convents and dwellings prostrated by the 
earth's commotions. After my stroll about town we returned home to 
dinner where I found Cato and the baggage by the Governor's orders. 
Cato remained with the luggage at Sefiqr Avendano's and I went to the 
Governor's that night. The only thing that occurred at Honda, to mar my 
enjoyment, was the first flying report of General Harrison's removal. The 
news was not so very shocking, as the possibility of such a thing had pre- 
viously occurred to my mind; but my greatest anxiety was — that your 
new Hickory broom might peradventure sweep too clean at your office. 
On the 17th June upon crossing the river, after breakfast, at eight o'clock, 
I found the Governor's servant with mine awaiting my coming. The bag- 
gage was soon lashed on the backs of the mules, when Cato and myself 
mounted ours ; and followed by our cheering peon (muleteer) Honda was 
quickly left behind us. 

This road has the reputation of being one of the worst in South Ame- 
rica. We passed on the brink of many a giddy precipice, and up eleva- 
tions which owing to their perpendicularity appeared to our unpracticed 
eyes insurmountable, but these places are passed and repassed with but 
little difficulty, through a zig-zag road. This has by the power of the 
mountain floods and constant travel, been worn down below the general 
level of the surrounding ground, and now resembles a farmer's ditch more 
than a grand turkpike to a large and rich Capital. Our wearisome head- 
way was made up such a road for several hours, now and then a short 
level, or a descent would occur by way of variety. The description we 
had received of this road, from our English acquaintances, had made us 
expect many an adventure in the shape of broken bones and tumbles ; but 
the agreeable change from our boat life with the quickly acquired confi- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 499 

dence in the sure-footedness of our patient mules, dispelled every appre- 
hension of that sort and left the mind at ease to enjoy the ever varying 
scenery. A slip which Cato unintentionally made over the neck of his 
beast, did not in the least tend to destroy our enjoyment, only made us 
more cautious in sitting firmly ou our saddles while crossing bad places. 
At length we attained the elevation, as designated on an old Spanish monu- 
ment by the side, of 850 toha (fathoms) from which the view was magni- 
ficent, a wild and most extensive spectacle. In the centre of the scene 
the River Magdalena like a silver thread was seen winding along for many 
miles on its seaward course, and from it the mountains rose to a towering 
height one above another, in every direction as far as the vision could 
detect them ; and in the distance became so blended with the clouds, as 
to be scarcely distinguishable. Even the spot on which we stood, though 
far above the ribbon like stream appeared when the nearer ranges were 
overlooked, and when the eye rested on the remote mountain tops, like 
the lowest spot athwart the vale. I never in my life so forcibly realized 
the insignificance of man as I did at that moment. Notwithstanding 
fatigue, our time passed away most pleasantly and about 5 o'clock p. M. 
Guaduas in the bosom of its delightful valley opened to our view and at 
8 o'clock we had made the descent. 

After delivering my letters of introduction from Governor Posada and 
Seiior Avendano to Colonel Acosta I was soon put in very comfortable 
quarters for the night. At Guadua, which is about eight leagues from 
Honda, I met Col. Campbell the British Charge d' Affaires to this Country, 
and jMr. Miranda — a son of the unfortunate Patriotic General killed by 
the Spaniards, of the same name. They both confirmed the rumor of 
General Harrison's removal by President Jackson, but that he had not as 
yet been officially informed of the event ; I was gratified to learn from 
them, that he would not probably leave the country yet, for some months. 
I was extremely well pleased with both gentlemen, particularly with the 
urbanity and true gentility of Col. Campbell. They had been traveling 
for health and amusement; at this time had been several days in this 
charming village when I arrived, and having understood from Col. Acosta 
that there was an " IiKjles cabalUro " or an English cavalier at his man- 
sion who spoke the Spanish imperfectly they at once called on and break- 
fasted with me. I gleaned many items of intelligence. The President 
of Colombia is still in Peru. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

South American Letters Continued. 

Rumor with her thousand tongues is very busy, though of course there 
is no sure dependence to be pla'ced upon her ; she says that, the war is 
soon to be renewed, and when peace is firmly established that the great 
Republican Bolivar is to assume the royal purple ; that plan is quite openly 
talked of and doubted by none ! 

A short time since word was received of the total destruction, by fire, 
of the best frigate in the Peruvian navy; this unlucky accident gives the 



500 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

President a decided advantage, and most probably will be the means of 
bis effecting a speedy settlement with his foes in that quarter. A new 
tariff has lately been issued also by General Bolivar from Quito, which 
imposes an additional duty at once, of $5 per bbl. on flour, it was $3 be- 
fore; this unwise act will make the importation of that article from the 
United States out of the question. Indeed the effect of the new tariff, 
appears to be directed chiefly against the productions of the United States, 
and is widely considered a further proof of the President's ill will towards 
our republicanism. However let him run, only " give a rogue rope 
enough and he'll hang himself." The first glimpse I had of this beauti- 
ful Gauduas valley was from a height of 5160 feet, as indicated by the 
true Spanish measure stones, it then appeared as if I could easily jerk a 
stone upon it, but it had, notwithstanding, takeo us five long hours before 
we made our entrance in it. The valley in which the village stands is 
surrounded by mountains equally as high as the one over which we passed, 
and a more romantic, lovely, secluded spot never was warmed by the sun. 
If the inhabitants of the vicinity had only a tenth part of the Yankee 
enterprise, they might soon command the productions of every climate, 
but as it now is, they only have such products as grow almost spontane- 
ously. 

I took one of Col. Campbell's many useful hints, by dispatching on my 
baggage early next morning, after my muleteer had received directions 
from the two colonels where to stop with me. Having been informed by 
Col. Campbell that Gen. Harrison had been anxiously expecting me since 
he had heard from home, I finished my meal with my hospitable enter- 
tainer and his guests ; then taking leave of them, jogged on after my 
other three mules, which looked at the height they had by this time at- 
tained, like so many mice beating up the side of a haystack. I followed 
up the steep mountain but it was near one o'clock ere I found them and 
lost sight of Gauduas. We met with the same kind of scenery and rough 
roads though generally better than on the previous day, though some of 
the passes were very bad, and the precipices dangerous causing giddiness, 
but the mules are so perfectly sure-footed and accustomed to the way that 
you acquire more confidence while passing the most gloomy looking pre- 
cipice on their backs than you would if depending upon your own legs. 
We consumed nearly the whole of that day in crossing over the mountain 
of Alto de Trigo, or height of wheat, though we saw none of that grain 
on our road. On reaching the summit of the mount we had a charming 
view of the village and valley of Velleta and passed through at 5 P. r.l., 
sleeping about one and a half leagues beyond at a hovel called Alto de 
Gasene 320 foesa higher than the village. The Bogota or Funza river, 
waters the valley, adding much to its beaaty, but still not equal to the 
picturesque valley of Gauduas. Villeta is 3498 feet above the level of 
the sea; from this place you ascend with little or no interruption until 
you have obtained the altitude of the plain of Bogota which is 8220 feet 
above the sea. The change of atmosphere on this table-land was so great, 
that my blanket, coats and other wrappers could scarcely keep me from 
shivering. I suffered much from cold all that night, perhaps if our house 
could have afforded any edibles, I might not have felt it so sensibly, but 
I found not only that day but also the succeeding one, that a long ride 
over a rough mountainous road with an empty bread basket is not a non- 
conductor of cold. 

My hammock was slung for the night in a room, around which twenty 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 501 

noisy and filthy muleteers were huddled together like so many swine. 
After an uncomfortable night, in which our light slumbers were frequently 
disturbed by the arrival of the clamorous mule drivers with their braying 
animals, of which there were next morning about one hundred, we 
were happy when the day dawned, as it enabled us to proceed on our 
route. After four hours ride, we were fortunate enough to procure three 
dishes of weak soup — being a compound of potatoes, cabbage, beans and 
the leg of a fowl — it was the first time we had broken our fast since 
leaving Gauduas and we were destined to have this suffice till after reach- 
in Bogota. This mess put us in a better condition to resume our journey 
and I — as was my constant practice — led the van in order that I might 
alight occasionally, on spots where the view was particularly fine, to gaze 
on the rugged little world around me. From the lofty height of our road, 
in some places you look down upon this range of the Andes and see mount- 
ain piled on mountain with their rocky and difficult passes ; then as far 
as the eye can reach on all sides you still see other ranges whose lofty 
eminences mingling with the clouds, are much higher than the pinnacle 
upon which you stand. Nothing can equal the wild grandeur of the 
country through which we travel on this route. To look back you can 
hardly realize having traversed over so rough a district ; to gaze ahead 
you think it an impossibility to surmount the barriers before you, but 
still a road has been formed even here, over which delicate ladies occa- 
sionally travel and in perfect safety. 

I met a young Virginian accompanied by his Lieutenant Guard of Col- 
ombian troops, passing each other in the most dreary part of the road. I 
should not have known him for a Countryman on account of his formid- 
able mustache, but he joyfully recognized me as "a paisdno." He hailed 
me and asked if I was a foreigner, with a variety of other questions ; stat- 
ing by way of apology for his inquisitiveness, that he was looking out for 
a young gentleman, by name Van Kensselaer, to whom he was instructed 
to deliver a letter from General Harrison. When I told him /was of that 
name, and called upon him for the letter, he dropped his Spanish tongue 
and in his own native lingo told his name was Carr from Virginia, he was 
now a bearer of letters to Col. Acosta from General Harrison respecting me, 
the General having a few days previous heard of my coming, requesting 
him to pay me a little attention in case he should see me on my way up. 
While my baggage was coming up, and his with some of his stragglers 
were on their way down, we stopped in a little hut at hand on that lonely 
wild of the Andes. to talk of home, sweet home ! He knew many of my 
acquaintances, and it was an agreeable incident to meet this tall mustached, 
sociable and intelligent countryman who was well acquainted with, and had 
so lately as two days previous parted from Gen. Harrison. Carr being 
out merely on some Government business to be absent a few days, we 
expressed a hope of meeting each other at no distant period in Bogota 
which is his permanent station. However we left each other — on the 
arrival of our respective baggage, from different directions — and pursued 
our difterent destinations — he for Guaduas — myself for Bogota. 

For the last 24 hours we met with many evidences of enterprize in 
this rough region, in the line of agriculture ; whenever the unevenness of 
the surface admits of it, a hut is erected, in many places even on the 
peaks of the steep mountains and around it is seen the various productions 
of the industrious proprietor growing amidst the loi'ty trees of the forest 
in the greatest luxuriance. We met too with many familiar growths of 



502 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

our own country such as corn, onions, cabbages, potatoes, beans all in a 
fine state of cultivation, and this morning too for the first time in this 
country saw roses. In the afternoon I was much elated at the sight of a 
beautiful little field of wheat, about the same state of maturity as at home 
at this season ; which with a flock of sheep, geese, &c. gave the place 
such a comfortable look that I began to feel myself in a civilized country. 
Indeed for a time I fancied myself among the backwoodsmen at home. 
I find the people are enterprising, but they do not know how to direct 
their labors. They have the most miserable apologies for agricultural 
implements, of course though they may work hard, they cannot execute 
very much. To give you an idea of what can be done by a good farmer, 
I will mention, that the soil with the imperfect tillage it now receives, 
produces two crops of wheat, and three of barley. Both grains command 
in market from two and a half to five dollars per English bushel. Hor- 
ticulture is still less understood, though it receives better encouragement 
than agriculture. You would be astonished to see the poverty of the 
Market in this climate where all the productions might with little care be 
raised. Vegetables command a very high price, and though of a good 
quality are often out of season when ofi"ered for sale. Peas and potatoes 
when nearly dead ripe are then brought to market. 

Many of our most common vegetables were never known here, till intro- 
duced by Gen. Harrison. When a dinner is given by any of the Diplo- 
matic Corps, he is always called upon for his vegetables : his celery, tur- 
nips, radishes, salads, &c., are the finest I ever beheld, and he says, they 
grow faster and are more easily cultivated than at home. Indeed, now as 
the Greneral is recalled, I feel that if I had one or two more hands with 
Cato, I would really like the idea of trying the experiment of making a 
fortune on fifty acres, in my favorite way. There is much for and against 
the plan, I will give it more reflection before I decide. But to return 
from my long digression, shortly after passing this comparative level 
where things were flourishing, the steepness and difficulty of the mountain 
passes, convinced me, I was not on a road worked by the hands of Yankees. 
However this last ascent was not of long continuance and to our great re- 
lief my mulish cavalcade soon reached the height skirting the great plain 
of Bogota, where the rarefaction of air became so great, that I was taken 
with a very severe headache, while at the same time the guide and Cato 
were bleeding in concert from the nose. From this elevation the descent 
was gradual for better than half a league, when we came to the plain and 
shortly after to the village of Facitatiba, through which we passed and 
lodged that night (after having had a dim view of the Capital afar off"), at a 
dirty hovel, a league and a half beyond it. 

Before reaching our inn for the night we passed several cavalcades, 
composed of riders of both sexes, whose large wide loose Roanas or sort 
of cloaks, gave a very fanciful appearance. These roanas are nothing 
more than an oblong piece of cloth with a hole in the centre for the passage 
of the head; and when of a gaudy color, as many of them are, fluttering 
about around its owner on a swift horse, bring to mind the often described 
dress of the gay Cavalier of old Spain. These parties were coming at full 
speed from the Capital where they had been to join in the festivals of 
Corpus Christi. The meeting of so many white faces, after all the tawny 
skins I had for so long time been gazing at, together with their dashing 
style of dress and movement was quite acceptable to me. Another cold 
shivering night was spent in the same manner as the last, in similar com- 



Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 503 

pany and on an empty stomach, but my headache was expelled. Leaving 
Cato to bring up the rear with the baggage I proceeded on alone to ac- 
complish the remaining six leagues. For miles around an almost dead 
level is seen, and its monotony only broken by a solitary hut unless it is 
by the broken summits of the distant hills surrounding it. A few orna- 
mental trees around dwellings meet the eye with immense herds of cattle. 
Hedges or fences would greatly improve the appearance of this country, 
but none are visible ; the divisions between fields and estates are ditches. 
The ditches are of a peculiar construction, and calculated only for this 
climate and soil. They are generally about five feet deep, divided into 
two apartments ; one of which comprising nearly half of the whole is plain 
like those at home ; the other half is a continuation of square holes running 
parallel to the other. The earthen partitions of which serve to stop the 
cattle or sheep, which may have entered the first grand division ; as they 
when there, have no room to make a leap over the second barrier. This 
is a rough plan of them | . '''''*''''■' HZ The dirt of these 
ditches is always thrown up on the road and forms an embankment on each 
side which gives the road a concave form ; an admirable invention for the 
retention of rain water and undoubtedly must be the cause of bad roads 
in the rainy season. However, when I left the passes on the mountain 
side, I left all the mud behind me; here I encountered no mud — but 
dust in great abundance. 

At 11 o'clock A. M. I found myself in Bogota the Capital of Colombia 
at the Iluerto de Jai/me (Garden of James) the residence of Gen. Wm. 
H. Harrison — Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary from 
the United States of America. My reception here was by Carter 
Basset Harrison the General's son, an Attache to the Legation; shortly 
after his Father and Mr. Tayloe, the Secretary, made their appearance 
from a visit in the City and greeted my arrival with such cordiality that 
I immediately felt at home. A little before dinner Cato with the baggage 
and my jolly, whistling, shouting muleteer came along, and all my things 
were soon placed in the little room I now occupy, it had long since been 
in a state of preparation for me. Although I had been 7iow almost six 
months in the country, I had not received any letters, written at home sub- 
sequent to my leaving the U. S. until my reaching Bogota. Here I was 
handed the first package dated about five months back, but notwithstand- 
ing their old age, the perusal gave me much pleasure, and the hope of 
soon getting later ones, together with the kindness and urbanity of the 
new acquaintances with whom I was now associated, made me quite as 
well contented with my new situation as I could have anticipated. I was 
soon introduced b}' the General and the rest of the family to the Diplo- 
matic, Military and Civilians in the Capital worth knowing. Among 
whom were M. De Bresson, Commissioner of France — Col. Campbell, 
Charge D'Affairs of H. B. Majesty — Col. Torrens do, of Mexico — ^ Mr. 
Henderson H. B. M's Consul General — M. Martinez ditto of France, 
&c. &c. 

It was the day after my arrival, on June 18th that General Harrison 
took me round to see the Diplomatic Corps of the difi'erent nations. Among 
the first to whom he introduced me was Monsieur De Bresson, whom you 
must know as son-in-law of Judge Thompson ; he was quite friendly and 
entertaining withal as Albany and my friends was the theme of our con- 
versation. 

The Duke of Montibello who is with him joined in our conversation as 



504 • Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

he also was quite familiar with Albany, having been there only last year. 
The British Consul General is also a very estimable gentleman, his family 
is composed of his wife and three beautiful, accomplished grown up daugh- 
ters and three smaller ones. One daughter was born on one of the pld// as 
or sand-bars of the river Magdalena five years since, at which time he had 
a son, a fine lad of fourteen years, seized and carried off by an alligator j 
it was the sad work of an instant and no help could be given. With this 
family, the Duke, and M. De Bresson, Gen. Harrison is very intimate, 
indeed he is on excellent terms with all the Foreigners. 

The courteous Charge d' Aifaires of England Colonel Campbell has re- 
turned from his trip some days since, he also forms one in the General's 
private circle. My reception by General Harrison was truly kind, it ap- 
pears to me as if the same feelings that move him were extending to his 
whole household. Mr. Tayloe is a very fine man of about thirty-two years, 
a brother to the husband of Julia Dickenson (your friend's daughter) and 
to the unhappy young Kinderhooker. He greeted my arrival with as 
much cordiality as he could a brother ; as also did Carter, the General's 
son. They live in one of the finest houses in Bogota, there is more room 
in it than he requires. The garden contains more than an acre of 
ground, well stocked with Yankee sauce, in which he takes much delight, 
and devotes a gi*Eat deal of attention to it. I need not describe your old 
friend to you who know him so well, his army habits have given a blunt- 
ness of bearing and such a thorough knowledge of human nature, that 
independent of his high oflace, his company would be courted by all as a 
great acquisition. Of all the city belles, Consul General Henderson's three 
daughters — Misses Margaret, M ary Packer and Fanny — carry off the palm. 

I regretted to learn there is a coolness, if not something worse, between 
Consul Henderson and Col. Campbell which occurred before my arrival in 
the city. It appears that there then resided here, a very beautiful woman 
called Mrs. Inglis, her reputation was none of the best, but her powers of 
fascination were so great, as to insnare the hearts of almost every foreigner 
of the place. Col. Campbell's among the rest; they became affianced, the 
wedding day was fixed, dresses prepared, and guests invited. Henderson 
had been called upon by the Colonel, and had consented that his eldest 
daughter should officiate as bridesmaid on the occasion ; this match how- 
ever was broken off". Not a long time after, the Colonel again requested 
the attendance of Miss Henderson at the nuptials of Mrs. Inglis and Mr, 
Greenop, but her father refused, alleging the dubious character of the bride 
as his apology. He stated that when he consented to her acting as such 
before, it was to the contemplated bride of the Representative of his sov- 
ereign, but that now as this woman was to marry a man of whom he knew 
nothing, and whose character perhaps could not elevate that of his intend- 
ed, he did not feel himself authorized, and could not as a ftither consent. 
The Colonel went off" apparently satisfied but very shortly after the wed- 
ding, the objections, which Hender.-on had given him in confidence, to his 
daughter's serving as bridesmaid, became public, and Henderson was near 
receiving a challenge from Greenop, but the Colonel interposed and the 
matter rested, without another instance of the fallacy of the code of honor. 
It is indeed a relic of barbarous exercises which I for one do not desire to 
see in use. Henderson's refusal, however, was never forgiven and every 
opportunity was clandestinely taken to injure him. On one occasion 
when the British government required a statistical return, in which it was 
necessary to have the clear opinion of the diff"erent merchants, Campbell 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 505 

advised Henderson to call a meeting. He did so, but some of the mer- 
chants, not wishing to expose their invoices or circumstances to otliers, 
refused to attend, but offered to give all the information they possessed 
privately. This was told to the Colonel Campbell and he declared him- 
self satisfied ; but in his very next dispatch home, he '■' raj retted " that 
Mr. Henderson had not acted with sufficient efficiency in the matter, to 
come at the information which was required. This was done at the very 
time, when Henderson was pursuing the only course to get at it correctly : 
by writing the different merchants. 

When that dispatch was sent to England — Campbell clapped his hands 
together and swore, that if it did not ruin Henderson, he would never 
write another. In due course of time Henderson did receive a severe 
reprimand from his government in consequence of the Colonel's represent- 
ation, and when he immediately after it charged the Col. with unfairness 
and duplicity in making his report; he received for an answer an absolute 
denial of the charge. However when the Colonel's original dispatches 
were referred to, the falsehood of his denial was manifest and much con- 
trition was expressed by the Colonel. The whole line of Campbell's 
conduct towards Henderson after Mrs. Inglis's last marriage goes to prove 
his inimical feelings. He once had the absurdity to send a number of 
charges against Henderson to his government; after they were gone, he 

gave H a list of them, requiring at the same time a refutation. When 

Henderson sent him word, that it was more easy to make charges, than to 
bring proofs, and that he was ready and capable of refuting any charge he 
might undertake to prove. Col. C. became alarmed at the responsibility 
he had so unwittingly undertaken, and dispatched Mr. Wall, one of his 
Attaches off to Carthagena to intercept the communication — which was 
done, and that affair dropped. 

I attended two formal dinners given to all the Diplomacy in Bogota, 
one of which, at the French Commissioners was particularly grand. The 
General now discovered some symptoms of the fever and ague displaying 
themselves in my corpus (of which nearly all new comers must partake 
in a greater or less degree. 1 am now convinced the fever attacked me 
the moment I reached the altitude of this plain by those shivering ap- 
proaches). The General with the most fatherly care took me, at once, in 
his own immediate charge ; after dieting me for about a week on cathartics 
and emetics at last pronounced me convalescent, but charged me, under 
the penalty of a relapse, to let all fruit alone for some time. His directions 
were faithfully obeyed and now 1 am better than ever. 

The splendid rout of General Harrison on July 4th exceeded every 
thing of the kind that ever took place in l^ogota. We had about fifty 
ladies comprising all the beauty of the metropolis, which en 2)assa7it, is far 
from being eclipsed even when contrasted with our home belles. We 
also had about one hundred gentlemen, representatives of all nations. 
The Corps diplomatique and Government officers were all in Court costume. 
The National Band, which had practiced for the occasion, cheered us with 
Hail Columbia and Washington's March in fine style. The dancing com- 
menced before 4 o'clock : at 5 o'clock dinner was announced and the 
tables were filled three successive times while the utmost hilarity and 
good feeling pervaded throughout the whole entertainment. Many ex- 
cellent toasts were given, and when the guests had all been feasted to 
sufficiency, and the eating and drinking over, we adjourned to the drawing 
room. 

G4 



506 Legacy of IIistorical Gleanings. 

The large parlor, which was appropriately and tastefully decorated with 
the Stars and Stripes, the Declaration of Independence, JJust of Washing- 
ton, &c., soon resounded to the inspiriting music, accompanied by the 
shuffling of the " light fantastic toe," which was kept up with great ani- 
mation till midnight, when the Guests retired to their respective homes, 
delighted with Yankee hospitality and the urbanity of the Host. Among 
the toasts many were given in favor of Liberty ; but many ambiguous 
ones were likewise given, by the officers of Grovernment and their friends, 
which might have surprised me a little, if I had not understood previously, 
that a change in the form of Government had been in the contemplation 
of many of the President's adherents from motives of interestedness. But 
none of their wishes over the wine glass, were so broadly given, as to 
create one angry feeling. 

My letters though always addressed to you, are intended for the whole 
family and I hope my request of forming a general combination to produce 
a family letter for the absent one each month will succeed and be con- 
tinued. It depends much upon General Harrison, whether I see you soon 
or not, as old Hickory's removals will cause a change, or at least a speedy 
formation of permanent plans. I have not as yet made any excursions in 
the neighborhood, but a party is now forming, of which I am to be one, 
for a grand visit to all of the many curiosities, after that I will write again. 
In the meantime with love to all, Addios Senor. 
Su mas humilde servidor 

Rensselaer V^an Rensselaer. 

Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

Oen. Van Cortlandt to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear Sir, Peekskill July 13, 1829. 

By the last mail I received a letter from my friend Dr. Davis whom 
you saw at Albany, and he writes to me from the City of Washington 
dated the Gth Instant : " Tell Genl. Solomon Van Rensselaer he has 
nothing to fear." When I see you I will tell you more. But my present 
Advice is, to take no Notice in your behaviour of any thing thatbas taken 
place, to any one, and let your friends be prudent and say nothing. 

Yours Assuredly Pierre Van Cortlandt. 

Genl. Sol. Van Rensselaer Albany, N. Y. 

Dr. Davis to Oen. Van Rensselaer. 
Dear General, Washington City, 16 July 1829. 

After I left Albany I saw Maj. Moore in N. York, and spoke to 
him in behalf of your son now at Bogota. He told me if he appointed 
a private Secretary, he should have to pay him out of his own Salary ; 
that he should have no use for one and therefore should not appoint one. 
I have also seen Maj. Barry since my arrival here, upon the subject we 
conversed while at Albany. I think Sir, you need apprehend no 
danger of being removed. If you are removed, there must be a change 
in the sentiments of the President and the Post Master General in rela- 
tion to you. After I conversed with you at Albany, I was informed of 
new attempts to remove you from office. I immediately informed our 
mutual friend Genl. Van Cortlandt of it and advised him to write to the 
President in your behalf, he did so — and I have no doubt it had great 
weight. Be so good as to let me hear from you, write to me to my resi- 
dence in Hartford Kentucky, for I shall be happy to hear from you. 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 507 

Present me kindly to Genl. Stephen Van Rensselaer. With very great 
esteem and friendship. Sincerely your friend 

William M. Davis. 
Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Post Master Albany. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his Father. 
Dear Father, Bogota, August 20, 1829. 

My last letter was signed, scaled and delivered on the 12th ult. to Gen- 
eral Harrison, by him to be forwarded to Carthagena with his own dispatches. 
What with writing, riding, walking, receiving and returning visits, my time 
is now fully and of course pleasantly occupied. The thing [ regretted was, 
that so little leisure was obtained for studying the Spanish language ; my 
necessary intercourse with those speaking ray mother tongue did not facili- 
tate or assist me in that desideratum. However when I seized every op- 
portunity to extend my knowledge not only in the language of the black- 
eyed beauties of the Colombian Metropolis, but also their ways, manners 
and customs I found a much better gloss spread over the surface of life. 
The first thing after being seated in a house, is the offer of a lighted cigar, 
which as well as with every article then offered to a stranger by a Colom- 
bian, must never be refused under the penalty of losing caste, or lowering 
the standard of your character for gentility. Upon leaving the house, it 
with all the contents of the mansion, is declared by the owner, " at the 
guest's entire disposition" ! The sincerity of these declarations may be 
estimated as they deserve, when it is known that they are invariably made 
to every one ; indeed this offer is an epitome of the Colombian character — 
polite hut insincere. The young ladies are blest with but a small share of 
conversational powers; their one uniform topic is, the merits of the latest 
party, dance, frolic, bull-fight or horse-race. They are never suffered to 
converse with the other sex, unless in the presence of the mother, aunt, 
or some other equally trustworthy duenna whose charms are on the wane ; 
and whose recollection of her own intrigues in early life are still vividly 
awake. With one of these custodial friends the youthful beauties attend 
the early Mass, pay ceremonious visits, go to the bull-fight, mingle in the 
ftivorite waltz and with them receive their company. Their dress is very 
extravagant, and the fashion of their prevailing costume gives the wearer 
a bewitching look, particularly when walking out with their broad-brim, 
semispherical crowned beaver hats, poised on the back part of the head by 
the large and fancifully worked shell comb, over which last the light shawl 
is thrown to protect the face from the sun, without hiding the view. On 
occasions of traveling or wishing to remain incog, a hand or handkerchief 
is used to hide under the folds of the shawl every thing but their brilliant 
eyes. 

Sunday is the only day in the week when the ladies are certainly at 
home ; then they are decked in their best habiliments for the reception of 
company ; the evening is always devoted to the dance. Indeed Sunday is 
the grand gala day for amusements of every description ; then as on Fes- 
tivals the stores are closed except retail liquor shops. The great body of 
the people, as a general thing, are very ignorant and rigid Roman Catho- 
lics. After the morning 3Iass the entire population engage in the sports 
of the time in which even the priesthood join : some to the billiard-room, 
others to the cock-pit, bull-fight or whatever diversion is on the tapis. The 
passion for gambling appears to be almost universal, and is encouraged by 
both Groverument and Church. Upon occasions of great rejoicings for any 



508 Legacy of Historical Gleanings, 

public incident, tables are spread by GoverniDent in the great square of 
the city, where all classes and sexes are seen promiscuously engaged in 
betting — the wealthy with their Onza or ounce, the poor with their 
cpiartillo or cent. On the anniversary of the patron Saint, of any of the 
villages, town or parish, the same scene occurs under the patronage of the 
Church as I witnessed in the case of the feast of St. Jago. When in the 
plaza appertaining to the church and convent of that Saint, the clergy 
erected large tents for the gamingtables; also booths where refreshments 
of all kinds were to be procured. My astonishment, at seeing some of the 
" black coats" so prone to imitate servilely the notorious hlach-leys, was 
not a little increased upon learning the fact of their giving such facilities 
for gambling, and that the rents, derived from the temporary sheds de- 
voted to such vile purposes, were all appropriated to the Church ! ! With 
such encouragement to vice, can we even wonder at the immorality of this 
people ? There was found no great philanthropist to stand up boldly and 
deprecate this important national sin ; all were powerless to resist the 
overpowering influence of stern masters, under whose iron heel they have, 
and still do struggle in their oppressive servitude. These church feasts 
last eight days and nighrs, during which period these tents are the fash- 
ionable lounges for the loiterers of the city; some go to play, others to 
see what is going on ; among the latter class will be found all the beauty 
of the place with their pretty faces muffled, and only the jetty sparklers 
visible. 

A party composed of Gen. Harrison and Suite, M. De Bresson, Duke 
De Montibello and Count Zliskies — an expelled Polauder — having for 
some time been formed to visit the natural bridge of Pandi, and the time 
appointed for starting having been often postponed owing to the non- 
attendance of some one of the party, it was finally resolved that July 13th 
should be the day to leave, for all who then could go, the rest to follow on as 
soon after as practicable. Accordingly Count Zliskie, Mr. Tayloe and 
servant, Carter Harrison and myself composed the cavalcade which set out 
early in the morning, of that day, from Bogota for the village of Fusuga- 
zuga. The first part of our ride was pleasant enough, but after we left 
the great plain of Bogota, and ascended to near the apex of the ridge that 
encircles it, twenty-five miles from the City and 1500 feet above its 
level, or 9720 feet above the level of the sea, with the range of hills 
rising one above the other, and its aspect of unrivalled sublimity, we 
found a great change. Our coats and cloaks were put in requisition to 
guard against the humid, chilly effect of the clouds that encountered us 
here in mid-day like a dense fog. Our descent towards the valley had 
scarcely commenced, when those clouds, which we had noticed as travel- 
ing in the same direction with ourselves, condensed over our heads, while 
descending the steepest part of the declivity, and showered down such a 
quantity of rain that we all were completely drenched. 

This part of our trip was not very enjoyable, for as we could find no 
shelter, we were exposed to the soaking shower between two and three 
hours ; the sultry heat of the narrow passes and the intolerable badness 
of the road added to our discomfort. In very many places the large stones 
that line the tortuous and extremely abrupt path, have been laid up one 
over another after the manner of the steps' of a staircase, from one to the 
other of which the horses are obliged to jump. One false step would 
insure the rider a hearty but undesirable thump, against some of the craggy 
projections, in the sides of thuse rugged and difficult places of entrance 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 509 

and exit. However our nags were such sure footed animals — with their 
short, quick step ; stumbling, leaping, and keen looking with an instinctive 
hesitation in dangerous proximities — that no such accident occurred to 
cither one of our party ; we all came hopping down from stone to stone, 
like so many frogs, one after another in perfect safety. This kind of 
traveling was a sort of amusement to ?7.s-, experienced as we were on the 
other similar roads of Colombia; but I doubt not, an attempt to pass such 
public ways in the United States would be considered the height of 
temerity, yet we enjoyed it notwithstanding the risk to a poor rider's 
bones. We experienced however, real misery in crossing over the badly 
constructed " corduroy bridges," occasionally met with in some of the miry 
little glens ; the sticks being so far apart that the poor horses legs would 
often slip down between them over his knees in mud : my fine brute 
strained his shoulder so severely that he did not get over it in a week. 
The intervening hills prevented us from seeing the valley and village of 
Fusugazuga till within a mile or so of them. 

We had now fairly run away from the rain ; when we looked back we 
could see it pouring down apparently as fast as ever among the " cloud 
capt mountains," whilst before us the sua was shining in all his glory 
on the beautiful narrow valley decked in tlie emerald robes of lively color. 
We still had to descend some hundreds of feet to the village, but from 
our present stand-point the view was most enchanting with the snowy 
peaked Andes varied aspects. On either side of the narrow plain the 
different ridges of mountains rose as high as the one we wei'e about leav- 
ing : the vale extended directly before us in a southerly course as far as 
the eye could reach, while the fleeting clouds which capped the ridges 
would occasionally, by opening, aflPord a momentary glimpse of the outline 
of the sparkling peaks, and among the many the Count pointed out one 
mountain with its two peaks as bearing an exact resemblance to a view of 
the " fork peaked, fire puifing Vesuvius." This sight had the effect of 
making us almost forget the exercise we had passed through in our leap- 
ing course down the stone stair cased mountain side. We passed on 
rapidly after this down the remaining gradual descent ; the road improved 
as we advanced towards the village, the first object in this landscape was 
the cluster of about 100 straw thatched huts for which we were bound 
and we were not sorry when we soon after arrived there, with most raven- 
ous appetites, the consequence of our eight hours exercise on horseback. 
Our baggage carriers had on the previous day hired the best house, in 
the place ; the tawny landlady was preparing a meal for us, in the de- 
tached kitchen ; and after a change of garments we were seated in the 
front house discussing our ride. We came to a satisfactory conclusion, 
that to the peel of an onion, we were 3000 feet lower now, than when ten 
miles back in the morning we were on the highest part of the road. Our 
thermometer too, which pointed at 65°, told us that we were in a climate 
10° warmer than that of Bogota ; but our feelings also indicated all that 
change, we did not require an instrument to convince us of that accepta- 
ble fact; I think we might have found out the exact diff'erence in the 
same way that we measure the stair-case mountain — by guess. The 
distance between Bogota and this village is 35 miles. After demolishing 
all the provisions, with which our old landlady had so profusely decked 
our table, our hammocks were suspended and we soon fast asleep. 

In Bogota the cold is too severe for tlie use of a hammock by any 
person having a consideration for his health, but here, the " s/c67a " or 



510 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

nap after dinner is considered almost as great a luxury, in this salubrious 
and delightful valley, as it is on the sultry banks of the Magdalena. At 
all events we found it so, for after turning in, we were not released from 
the chains, in which we all were locked by Morpheus, till two hours after, 
when the old woman came to say it was eight o'clock and our supper 
ready. We observed many of the tropical productions not found on the 
plain of Bogota, such as plantains, jucre, sugar-cane, lizards, snakes, &e. 
We found also plenty of game as turkeys, quails, guachichies, the moun- 
tain hen, a bird much like our domestic fowl in everything but its sylvan 
predilections ; none of these are to be obtained in Bogota. The turkeys 
of this place are of a darker color and of a different shape from those of 
the lower countries, but about the same weight though not so tender. 
We sent home two mules loaded with game, after reserving sufficient for 
our own use. A few days after our arrival at Fusugazuga, I found myself 
attacked by that most provoking illness of " all the ills that human flesh 
is heir to " — the Fever and Ague. The mule that went freighted to 
Bogota with game, bore also a note from Mr. Tayloe to the General re- 
questing a supply of medicine for me as I had strong chills. I was in 
hopes of driving off this unwelcome visitant, by plenty of exercise, and on 
the " shivering days," was sure to be out with my guide Pedro, who had 
won in my estimation the appellation of " Hawk- Eye " — and gun, beat- 
ing through the thick woods from morning's sun till dark. My specific 
answered for the time being, but when the exercise was over, the fit would 
return with redoubled force and compelled me at last to give up gunning 
and take to the blankets. 

In the meantime, hearing from the City, that Gren. Harrison — M. De 
Bresson — The Duke De Montebello and Gen. Urdenata — one of the 
Secretaries of State — owing to a pressure of business could not join us 
here for the visit to the famed Natural Bridge of Pandi, as had been pre- 
viously arranged, the rest of our party, at my request went on without 
me, as by this time I did not dare to attempt it. During the two days 
of their absence I discovered that I had been spoiled by the sick bed at- 
tentions of my home friends, and at first was so provoked at the compara- 
tive apathy of these stranger attendants that my pettishness would 
sometimes break forth, but it had the desired effect of setting the whule 
household in motion to supply my wants. Two days after their return 
from Pandi, Messrs. Tayloe and Harrison went on to Bogota, leaving the 
Count and Servant with me. The third day brought back Mr. Tayloe 
to us loaded down with Quinine, and other medicines put up for my use 
by the kind paternal hand of the General and two home letters for me. 
The first contained the last note of my uncle Kilian P. Van Rensselaer, 
the other an announcement of his dealh. These letters were the second 
batch received from Albany and by them I heard of Aunt Maria M. V. 
B's marriage to Jacob S. Glen, also of the birth of Elizabeth's daughter 
"Maria Elizabeth," this makes my second niece. The letter from my 
good old Grandmother was a great treat in this far ofi" land. The Gene- 
ral's prescriptions had the desired efi^ect, as in one week the fever had 
disappeared and was succeeded by such a fine appetite, that after a few 
prefatory rides in the neighborhood, I found myself sufficiently strong 
to set oft" with a reliable guide for the Bridge. My pill-box was not 
neglected, for I took the precautionary step of swallowing a requisite 
number for a fortnight after to prevent another ralapse. 

The road to the Bridge was not a rough one for the country, but, as 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 511 

may be expected in the Andes, runs over hill and dale ; and so rare a 
variety is a level spot in this mountainous region, that a rural chapel with 
one or two huts situated about half way, on a flat piece of ground of about 
one acre's area, goes by the name of Liana Idnjo or large plain. It cer- 
tainly was a very appropriate name, as it is the largest and indeed the 
only apology for a plain on the entire route ; although from all the various 
heights, an immense extent of table-land is seen in the distance and added 
much to the diversity of the wild scenery. The next place, through which 
we passed, lies against the side of a mountain, a scattered set of huts, the 
owners of which raise many fine cattle. There are six or seven con- 
siderable streams, on the road, over which we passed on flimsy bridges, 
without railing and quite narrow ; some are very high, and we could plainly 
see, and feel them shake under us; however we arrived safe about 5 
o'clock r. JM., in Mercadillo, a hamlet of about 40 huts. Before reaching 
this we had crossed many a hill, three of which are very high and steep, 
but as the great ledges of rocks have been avoided, a zijjzag j)a^th over 
them is followed instead of a " stair-case one." My guide conducted me 
to a fine, cleanly looking house, facing the church square; and while the 
dinner was being prepared, I took a luxurious, but much needed, swing 
in my hammock, which had been hung in the best room. In the morning 
at daybreak I found a cup of chocolate and a cake in readiness for me which 
was soon disposed of, after which Calistro and myself walked off about one 
and a half mile to Inkononzo to see the Puente or Bridge of Pandi. It 
seemed the longest half league I ever knew, and thought the road the 
roughest a pedestrian need wish to travel. 

The latter part of this walk is much the worst as you descend, almost 
perpendicularly down some hundred feet, into a narrow and gloomy ravine, 
but I followed after my nimble footed Indian, and the sight of this won- 
derful curiosity amply recompensed me for all my trouble. In the centre 
of this valley a fine large stream, in her unceasing course since Noah's flood, 
has worn away earth, slate and rock, about 30 feet wide and 400 deep in 
this dark and hideous looking chasm ; here the river is seen from above 
dashing along with the most irresistible and tremendous noise. For many 
miles on either side of this road to Inkononzo, it cannot be crossed ; but 
here Nature has formed or rather left a permanent bridge, which with a little 
assistance from art, has been made as safe to the passenger as the solid road. 
This natural bridge of Pandi is one immense solid slab of stone, 40 feet long 
by 20 wide ; from 6 to 10 feet thick ; over it lies the artificial bridge of 
the natives, with balustrades for its security. Over these balusters I hung 
in mute admiration, now convinced that the verbal and written accounts of 
its grandeur were not exaggerated in the least degree. It is the impression 
of many that the great cleft through which Sumtir Paz rolls, is the result 
of an earthquake of earlier days ; but after a careful examination and I did 
not stop, until I had traced every spot ever before pressed by human foot — 
I was compelled to differ. Every indication went to prove, in my estima- 
tion, that it had been formed by the constant friction of the water over 
the soft rock, which has sunk the beo of the bubbling stream so lar below 
the general surface. Each new examination of the place confirms my 
opinion : the lower or under side of the huge slab or stone above that 
forms the upper bridge, as well as the perpendicular sides of the chasm, 
from the edge of the precipices, down as far as the eye could distinguish 
appeared as if its smoothness had been accjuired by the action of water, 
but however it may have been formed, it is a terrific looking hole. The 



512 Legacy op Historical Gleanings. 

stones which form what is called the lower bridge, were no doubt in times 
long past, hurled from their primitive beds above by some convulsion of 
the earth and falling simultaneously down this narrow fissure, by striking 
against the sides have become so firmly wedged in, that nothing but gun- 
powder, or another violent commotion can loosen them. This mass of 
stone is about 60 feet below the other, from which the descent is not very 
difficult even for a young lady. In the centre is what is called la ventdna 
the window, a triangular opening through which you have a fine view of 
the gurgling stream below. And through which I sent many a weighty 
stone, then securely hanging over its edge watched the progress of these 
small rocks, bounding downward from one projection to another and 
shivered in still smaller pieces whenever they struck, so that when they 
fell into the water, they appeared like mere pebbles. Their noise there 
was drowned amidst the thundering echoes they had awakened above 
them. This extensive crevasse is the resort not only of the nocturnal 
birds that haunt in great numbers this sombrous retreat, but of a species 
peculiar only to such dark and secluded sites. They are of a brownish 
color, shape and size of our pigeon hawks, when disturbed in their daily 
slumbers, by the rattling of stones, they leave their solitary hiding-places in 
the gloomy recess and hover about in large flocks. The natives have an 
idea that these birds are instantly killed by an exposure to the sun ; the no- 
tion originates in the circumstance of their frequently finding them dead 
in the road above. They have no other name, than the general one of 
Paxara solitario. I have seen many wonderful works of art, and formations 
of Nature's ever varying hand, but never anything to equal \\\\?, jyueiite de 
Pandi, my visit to this real curiosity was highly satisfactory and I thought 
my trouble attending the excursion well repaid. I returned to the village 
for my breakfast, and then mounted my horse for Fusugazuga which I 
reached long after dark the same evening, " faint and weary " but ex- 
ceedingly pleased with my trip. 

During my absence Mr. Tayloe had received a few lines from General 
Harrison, that as Doctor Cheyne had advised, and he had no writing of 
moment for me to do, I had better remain at this place some days longer 
to recuperate. Under those circumstances I had not the least objection 
to linger in this the most delightful and salubrious of all climates I ever 
was in, though scarcely considered such precautions necessary. My late 
jaunt however convinced me that 'I did not possess my usual share of 
strength and vigor, but after chasing the game among the wild mountains 
for a few days I entirely recovered my health and am now as vigorous as 
ever. In the meantime the days were pleasantly passed in riding about 
and in gunning. We found the common people here quite as hospitable 
as any in Colombia; as an instance; in one of our hunting excursions, 
Tayloe, the Count and myself were overtaken by a violent rain storm, and 
while plodding along, on the road we met quite a pretty young girl who 
invited us to take shelter in her father's cabin. A fowl was killed for us, 
and cooked in various styles : one leg with cabbage and onions was 
converted into soup; another was fried, the remainder with potatoes and 
other vegetables was served up as a stew. A plucked sheep skin was our 
table cloth, and the cabin floor our table, around which we gladly sat as 
well as we could to partake of the feast. A solitary wooden spoon was 
the only artificial implement to transfer the victuals from the dishes to 
our mouths. But by agreement, which was strictly adhered to, as soon 
as one person of our party had emptied it twice, it was conveyed to the 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 513 

next in order ; so it passed and repassed till the soup had disappeared. 
We made more expeditious work with the solid part of the entertaiumeiit, 
fingers being substituted for knives and forks enabled us to eat in concert. 
The xuanuer and readiness witli which this meal was offered, made it more 
acceptable to us than the more sumptuous fare of formalized etiquette. 
Tayloe and the Count as well as myself were highly diverted by our novel 
repast, and after rewarding our kind host, promised as we did to call again. 
On the second occasion each one of us, without the knowledge of the other, 
pulled out of his game bag a spoon, knife and fork at the commencement 
of the dinner. 

With a view of seeing all the belles of Fusugazuga together, we one 
night gave a ball — it cost us four reals. 50cts, a piece or twelve reals in 
toto. 'Y\\e ladies came at an early hour, all looking very prim, and decked 
out as neatly and stylish as their simple means admitted. A white dress 
below, covered in part with a coarse blue woolen short-gown girdled 
around the waist, a striped straw hat on their heads, and all supported by 
pretty little naked feet was the a la mode costume of the honton. The gentle- 
men wore no coats, shirts and pantaloons were universal, except some of 
the younger spectators who were only encumbered with the shirt, and 
those still younger dispensed with both articles being in a state of nudity. 
The band composed of guitar, tipplers, rattlers, reeds and the drums 
merrily struck up, when each of the beaux very gallantly placed his hat 
at the feet of the lady he desired as a partner, then immediately backing 
out in the middle of the room, without a word to her, frisked about alone, 
until the selected belle most condescendingly implies her consent to dance 
with him by placing the hat on his head again. Then the waltzing com- 
mences, with the voices of the dancers joining in concert with the players. 
These people delight in dancing, and I think would wear out two set of 
North Americans in the exercise. Between dances they refresh themselves 
with the choice nick-nacks together with their favorite dishes, cigars, and 
country anise-seed brandy. The frolic seemed to give general satisfaction 
and was kept up till quite late. 

About a week after the receipt of the Grcneral's note, on the morning 
of August 9th, having dispatched a load of game and our baggage on the 
previous day, we left this peaceful valley and its kind inhabitants. Soon 
we were again re-crossing the cragiry mountain and once more overtaken 
by a tremendous shower, but under the lee side of a towering tree, we 
found shelter from its greatest fury, and the after drizzling did not last 
sufficiently long to wet our overcoats. 

This mountain appears to act as a breaker to all the clouds that gen- 
erate in the valley below : the specific gravity of these clouds is too great 
to allow them to soar through the thin air above the mountain's top, but 
driven by the wind which at this season comes constantly from the south, 
they all collect here and keep up an almost continual shower. From May 
to the first of December is the winter senson, during which time we con- 
stantly expect the rain with thunder and tempestuous weather. At the 
summit of the mountain we again encounter the fog-like clouds, arrested 
in their course by the towering tops and hiding from our view the beauty 
of the surrounding landscape. 

The Count Zliskie has traveled this highway six times, but never with 
a dry coat. I was unable to assign a reason why a person not accustomed 
to the climate, should feel so uncomfortably cold when the thermometer 

65 



514 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

stands at 55°, which is the mean temperature at Bogota at present, when 
at home we think such a medium is " devoutly to be wished." But I now 
perceive it is all owing to the extreme thinness of the air in this elevated 
region. Flannel is an agreeable addition for comfort to my ordinary 
winter clothing. We reached home at Bogota " without the loss of a sin- 
gle man," or any accident, not one adverse adventure. The day after my 
return to the Capital I had an opportunity for the first time of witnessing 
a " Bull-Fiyht," or rather a teasing that was got up in honor of the an- 
niversary of ^'■St. Vlctorina." You no doubt will be surprised at the 
idea of a saint's being honored in this brutal way and that too on Sunday ; 
but here such a parade is but a common circumstance. It was preceded 
by a grand Procession, in which about twenty images of the most costly 
description, some as large as life, were borne about on the shoulders of 
men. The Host too made its appearance, and when at the several tem- 
porary shrines erected in the Square, a halt was made for religious cere- 
monies and the devout crowd knelt in the dust. On similar occasions — 
or when the Host is carried to administer the lastsacrment to the dying — 
its approach is heralded by the tinkling of the bell accompanying it. At 
which time all foreigners or such as are not sufficiently zealous in their 
respect to it, to risk the soiling of their clothes, or the ill-will of the sect 
to which it appertains — always seek refuge in a house till it has passed. 
After viewing the grand procession of St. Victorino from a balcony and 
the images had been all carried into the Cathedral our party retired and 
quickly were mounted on their horses, in order to have a nearer and better 
view of the expected pageant. Upon entering the square our little squad 
being as well mounted as any in the gay and numerous cavalcade already 
assembled there, resolved to prance around under the balconies to make 
our chdnza. or jest to such of the belles, collected in them, as we might 
know. We had only passed two sides and in the act of saluting the 
Hendersons — when the cry of " El Tdro, tdro " — the bull, lull, rose from 
the excited crowd and warned us of its approach ; together with a mass 
of flying horsemen from a little street leading to the square, at the same 
time told us of the bull's vicinity. Of course wc joined in full speed the 
retreating host, and when out of harm's way turned around to gaze at the 
animated spectacle. This disorderly race among the hundreds of gayly 
cloaked horsemen — Spanish cavaliers — mounted on swift horses is indeed 
a sight worth seeing, and the only one in the barbarous, ridiculous, brutal 
show. The bull came dashing along just at our heels, but finding himself 
disappointed in flooring an equestrian and that chase hopeless; he would 
ever and anon, suddenly make a bolt among a motley group of pedestrians. 
If that group evaded his fury by dodging in a friendly doorway or by 
mounting above his reach on the latticed windows, he would dash at 
another, and still another, until exhausted by his futile attempts he would 
find a halt necessary for a fresh supply of wind. 

The animal is tied at one end of a long lasso, or a line made of a raw 
hide twisted with a noose, the other end is held by a man on a fleet horse 
or fastened to the pommel of the horseman's saddle ; another fellow with 
an iron pointed goad follows after and sticks the brute to make him frac- 
tious. While passing in this way through the crowded streets, the two 
legged rash fools present themselves to him, with nothing in their hands 
but a red rag or cloak, and when the maddened beast makes a plunge at 
them, they dexterously leap on one side, still holding the rag out for the 
bull to strike. While the animal is resting the crowd by throwing 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 515 

missiles of all kinds would endeavor to rouse him again to action. Some- 
times he would only notice these annoyances by a toss of the head, but if 
an adventurous torero, bull-fighter on foot, came very near with his teasing 
flag, one tremendous plunge indicated his desire of vengeance. But 
finding himself foiled by the agility of his tormentor, he would again 
resume his passive bearing until roused once more to mischief" by the 
steeled point of the staff or pike pole. The wounds inflicted by the goad 
would again arouse all his latent anger causing horse and foot to fly in 
one mingled rout from his furious onslaught. Accidents are very 
common, but are considered as trifles and the life of the sport by this 
enlightened people, yet it is a dangerous, cruel pastime, more particularly 
so to the footmen. In one charge of the bull on this occasion I saw at 
least half a dozen of them knocked down under the feet of the running 
horses, though I do not know that any were seriously injured. There 
was one occurrence, that afternoon, that completely satisfied my desire to 
see no more of this amusement. The bull was standing in the centre of 
the square, covered with foam and lolling with fatigue — missiles, flags nor 
goad seemed to have any eff"ect upon him; he was pronounced " good for 
nothing — done over" — the people went around him and befoi'e him; 
he even allowed himself to be patted without in the least noticing it. At 
length starting from his lethargy, he made a dart at his nearest assailants, 
but the cry of toro, toro notified them in time and they escaped the danger. 
One poor fellow, however, some yards ahead, either deaf or so petrified 
with fear as to disable him from flying — was overtaken by the raging 
beast and thrown up in the air. He fell without a sign of life — when 
the bull having passed on, the unfeeling mob gathered around with shouts 
of laughter and mockery at his misfortune. He was picked up by two or 
three of the more humane ones and borne ofl" with the blood streaming 
from his head and arm and I neither saw nor heard more of him. 

I am happy to see from your letters, my good father, that your trip to 
Washington was so satisfactory ; it is cheering to learn that " Old Hickory " 
is so favorably inclined towards you, and to hear of his promise that you 
shall be retained in your ofl&ce. The promise too of Moore, in relation to 
myself, as mentioned in yours of March 23d, was not unacceptable, but 
there is such a difference between Moore and Harrison ! The latter has 
it in view to leave his son here with Dr. Bresson, but is not exactly de- 
termined. 1 will send my Journal by Gen. Harrison which will replace 
the missing numbers of my letters. I suppose Ilichard and Elizabeth are 
established in their own house, and so much taken up in nurturing little 
Deb, and the other stranger that [ must be satisfied with their brief 
letters. Love and remembrances to one and all at home. 

Sincerely yours, 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, Albany, N. Y. R. V. Rensselaer. 



516 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

South American Letters Continued. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to Ms Father. 

Dear Father, Bogota, August 25, 1829. 

The letter dated five days since went to Carthagena and you no doubt 
will wonder at receiving another so soon, but I send this by Mr. Gooding 
of Boston who leaves this for home. Your No. 1 of May 31st, came to 
hand a few days since, the detention was caused by the mail's having 
been robbed, below Mompox on its way to Bogota. The mail boat, having 
a crew of bdgas, besides the patron, was attacked by another boat with 
a similar crew completely armed. The patron was killed, one man badly 
wounded, and the other two made their escape by swimming ashore. The 
robbers, after taking out the trifling amount of specie contained in the 
mail boat, left the correspondence unmolested in some place where it was 
subsequently found. Two of the villainous scape-graces have been ar- 
rested and sent to Gen. Montillo in Carthagena, who ere this has cured 
them of their itching propensities for other people's lives and money. My 
letter was among others moored in the boat, against the Magdalena's bank, 
till some honest, true fellow came along, and put it on its right track for 
Bogota. I am very sorry to find out through letters to the General from 
J. Mac Pherson our Consul at Carthagena, that no letters went home in 
the August packet from that place ; the latest you had received from me, 
previous to that time, must have then been written in May at Barran- 
quilla and Mompox. Knowing through them that I was on the river, I 
fear that anxiety to hear of me at the end of my route, has been too much 
the " order of the day" at home. The cause of the delay in your not re- 
ceiving my letter was this. The Government here has passed a new tariff 
law, the sure effect of which will be to cut off entirely, I fear, the valua- 
ble trade of the United Stales; the duty on flour is eight dollars per bbl., 
other products of that country in proportion. This new tariff" was to 
have gone into operation on the 1st of July, but the time was extended 
four uionths, at the representation of Gen. Harrison, in order that the 
Merchants at home might be saved from ruin, by timely notice of it. 
Bunch & Co., together with others, in hopes of making a fine speculation 
by laying in a large supply of North American produce, before the new 
decree went into operation, chartered the New York packet — then in 
port — and would not allow the Master to carry a single letter, for fear 
that word of the extended time for the tariff's going into effect, should 
be sent home. 

Among the letters thus detained was Gen. Harrison's Dispatch on the 
subject of the extension and my two. The effect of this abominable tariff 
may be possibly to exclude our vessels from these ports, if so. you of 
course will know the fact before I do, in that case our correspondence 
will be very irregular; but be assured I will avail myself of every known 
opportunity of letting you hear from me. The General is daily more and 
more pleased with " blackey," and I myself also fully estimate his good 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 517 

qualities. To hear that your friemh arc on the alert to save your oflBce 
is truly gratifying, I know of no person who can boast of so many true ones. 

I will now ask you to return, in thought, with me to my Southern home 
and accompany the parties, that every fair afternoon are sure to join the 
Henderson family in their excursions — the older people, with Gen. Harri- 
son, quite frequently, in a coach and four, while we younger ones take 
our airing on horseback in company with the young ladies. Having now re- 
covered a fine appetite and nearlyall mystrcngthand 1 trust fully acclimated, 
our evening rides, with or without the ladies, were always highly enjoyed 
by me. The evening resort of all foreigners and the fashionables of the 
Capital is the beautiful Alameda or public walk. It is the prettiest road 
in the vicinity, on each side of it for two miles is the hedge of trees and 
shrubs, among the last are roses and blackberries always in bearing. It is 
the grand promenade and here a few carriages of Bogota as also the mounted 
cavaliers repair in a fine evening. The other avenues from the cap- 
ital on the plain being unadorned by trees or hedges are too monotonous for 
a frequent ride; there is one, however, leading at the foot of the Monte 
Serratte towards the fountain head, that has variety enough. But the 
most romantic of all, is one leading to the Monastery or hermitage on top 
of that mountain and another to the ruined Convent on the Guadeloupe. 
On this last, Mr. Tayloe, Carter Harrison and myself rode one evening, 
it is rugged and sufiiciently wild to suit the most adventurous mind. 
About half way up, or one league from the city, we halted to look at two 
wild deer browsing within a pistol shot of the road, they seemed to con- 
sider one glance a sufiicient notice of us, after which they resumed their 
satisfactory employment and we, without molesting the pretty creatures, 
continued our way to the summit of the mountain ridge. 

Owing to the circumstance of the earthquake of 1827 having demolished 
the building on this peak — at which period much damage was also done 
in the city — it was no more a place of resort. The path from the main 
road was so much overgrown with weeds, that we lost it, but did not miss 
the prineipsil object of our ride, the extensive and grand view that fixed 
us in astonishment. From an eminence, 1800 feet above the plain of Bo- 
gota, we had a splendid survey of the lofty Andes with its immense chain 
of towering mountains, we knew all about the steep and rugged ascent up 
to the stately peaks. We cast our eyes over the extensive table land and 
City; the last had a very sombre appearance, the effect of the dark tiled 
roof houses ; the streets are all at right angles, and through the centre 
flows a stream of water. Some of the summits around tower to a prodi- 
gious height, rising far above the clouds, and are covered with perpetual 
snow, and although we are so near to the Equator the intense heat is not 
particularly oppressive in consequence of the elevated land, but the climate 
mild and salubrious though it is now Winter. After feasting our eyes 
with the grand and sublime spectacle, we returned by a still more diflScult 
road than the one we had ascended and passed the fine Qui'nta — country 
seat — of the Liberator — General Bolivar. These rides I found very essen- 
tial — as the correspondence of Gen . Harrison with the Colombian Govern- 
ment for claims of our citizens, the remonstrances &c against the oppressive 
conduct of these authorities towards those citizens <fec — gave me so much 
writing that I was quite happy to seize every moment for exercise A 
transaction has just now become public, which has excited the indignation 
of all the Fhiglish iind Americans. It appears that Nicholson and Tra- 
verse — the two persons from whom 1 received so much attention in Mom- 



518 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

pox — =- were left Executors to the will of an Englishman who died some 
time since in that city. Among his effects was eight pounds of gold dust 
(which article by a law, issued since his death, is made contraband there), 
the executors, who say they were not aware of that law, sold the dust to 
raise funds to defray the funeral expenses. The Grovernor (Aldercrutz) 
having heard of this, sent to demand the dust, but they of course could 
not produce it and were thrown into prison. Richard R. Nicholson, who 
had been long sick, and then laboring under delirum, was, notwithstand- 
ing the remonstrances of several physicians against the rough treatment, 
carried off and as predicted died in a few hours. Traverse too was sick, and 
after this tragedy of Nicholson, was removed to his own house and left under 
charge of a guard. 

After trying every method to procure his release without effect, (the 
amount in money having been rejected by this Governor) was obliged to 
run the risk of being condemned to ten years imprisonment and the loss 
of the eight pounds of dust, by smuggling that amount in the place to sat- 
isfy the Governor's cupidity. Now allowing that fraud was intended by 
these Executors in the disposition of the dust, can any thing justify the 
brutal and tyrannical conduct towards the dying Nicholson on the part of 
Aldercrutz ? No ! nor is this a single case of such treatment towards for- 
eigners, nor are the natives themselves exempt ; they are often made to 
writhe under the power of these arbitrary officers who carry their oppres- 
sive measures to an infamous degree, and it is not at all remarkable that 
there are so many disaffected towards such a Government. This disaffec- 
tion is wide and fast spreading over the whole country ; there will no 
doubt be great political changes ere long, indeed rumor positively declares 
that the President Dictator intends assuming that power for life, under 
the name of Frcsidente Vitalicio or of Emperor, liumor also says that 
DeBresson is here to pave the way for a Bourbon successor to Bolivar 
from France. These stories all tend to increase disaffection. A few nights 
since, placards were posted in the streets threatening DeBresson and the 
Duke de Montibello with assassination, if thej did not desist from their 
intrigues to effect this object and leave the country. This proves the 
existence of a strong feeling and many fear more disturbances. The 
Goodings, who were here and witnessed the horrors of the riot last year, 
are collecting all the debts they can muster and the one brother, for fear 
of another event of that kind now leaves for the United States. 

The girls I hope will be more particular in their chit-chat intelligence, 
it is only through them I can expect to keep the trace of friends dear to 
me in youthful days. I suppose my old companion — Robert Jenkins is 
married by this time. I am glad that my young friends still think of me, 
the Misses Lansings among the rest, let me hear more of them. I am 
really happy to hear of Aunt Maria's marriage, she must know me well 
enough to be assured she' has my best wishes. The note of Uncle Kiliaa 
gave me great pleasure, it is characteristic of the kind feeling he always 
possessed for every one ; the enfeebled state he was in, when I left home, 
compelled me to think I would never see him again, and the news of his 
death was not uulooked for. li a practice of all the cardinal virtues of 
Christianity, without a profession of them, can secure the transient tenant 
of this life an after seat among the blessed, his soul is happy. The promise 
of my dear Mother, through the girls, that I should have a long letter from 
her as soon as she was completely well, is earnestly desired and looked for. 
Tell Adeline I have written twice to that fine fellow Dr. Van Rensselaer, 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 519 

and have also received two letters from him, I write again to him by this 
mail. I dare say Hat and Cat have grown ver^ much and are studying 
hard, kiss them both for me. llemember me to all. Sincerely Yours. 

r> o 1 -ir T> 1 A lu NT V ilENSS. VaN HeNSSELAER, 

hen. bol. Van Kensselaer, Albany, N. Y. 

Margaretta Van Rensselaer to her Sister. 
Dear Sister, Albany September 4, 1829. 

Your welcome letter found me at Mount Hope where 1 went last 
Wednesday and remained so as to be with our Dear Mother on her fifty- 
fourth birthday. I came in town to night with our dear Father. Yester- 
day afternoon (Thursday) a very sad accident befell our excellent towns- 
man Dr. James McNaughten. He with a few other gentlemen dined at 
Drake's in company with some Southerners, after which they rode out to 
William Walsh's [one mile south of the city] at Nut Grove to view the 
fine prospect. On their return, in coming down the steep hill, some part 
of the harness gave way, and in consequence of which the horse became 
frightened, and in running stumbled, by which he upset the chaise, in 
which James Stevenson, Esq. and Dr. McNaughten were seated. It rolled 
(the gig) two or three times entirely over on the Doctor. Mr. Stevenson 
was also thrown out, but not much injured. Will Walsh and George 
Brinckerhoof went immediately to town and brought out the Doctors. In 
the meantime Papa and Catherine came walking along on their way to the 
birth-day party at Mount Hope. They had just raised the Dr. out of the 
gully, and he laid on the grass with his head on John Walsh's lap. Papa 
felt his hands and then sent Catherine to Cherry Hill for a cot, which 
Grandma soon sent as also a mattress. Dr. McN. seemed in great pain, 
and told Papa it was useless sending for the doctors as it was " all over 
with him," lie said his " back was broken." As he wished Papa to re- 
main till the physicians came he did so, and after he was laid on the bed 
and being carefully moved to Albany, they came on to Mount Hope. 
James Stevenson certainly had a most miraculous escape, his greatest 
damage being torn clothes. On examination it was found his back was 
not broken ; his ribs, however are^ and his leg so badly fractured — the 
bone is mashed — they still fear it will have to be amputated, however it 
is set, and though still in a critical condition is doing better than expected. 
Rensselaer's letters were sent for you. The Patroon was here and so 
anxious to see them, that Papa promised he should read them when they 
were returned ; he expected that Richard would have brought them home 
with him. The Patroon has again inquired for them and Papa wishes 
you to send them up at once with the mail. Mama's cold is better. The 
weather here is also very changeable ; yesterday and to day quite cold 
enough to sit by the fire. Tuesday and Wednesday were the warmest 
days we have had during the Summer. I regret that the Doctor and 
Cousin Charlotte have suffered from the change. That God may bless 
and protect you, and all those who are near and dear to you is the sincere 
prayer of your sister — Margaketta. 

Miss Adeline Van Rensselaer. 

Care of Jer. Van Rensselaer, M. D., New York. 

Hon. Daniel Webster to Gen Van Rensselaer. 
My Dear Sir, Boston, Sept. 11, 1829. 

I regret exceedingly, that before your letter came to hand, I had made 
an appointment to go to N. Hampshire soon after the 20th instant, on 



520 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

business which it is not practicable to postpone. So long an interval had 
occurred, since I saw you, that I had been led to think you had "concluded 
that it would be best to leave our meeting to accident. I hope, very 
sincerely, it may yet so happen, that I may see the Greneral before T go 
South. The last week in October, and the two first weeks in Novr. I 
expect to pass in New York. It would gratify me if circumstances should 
call him to the City about that time. The opinions which I expressed to 
you, especially such as relate to the state of things in this part of the 
Country, have been much confirmed by events which have since occurred. 
It will not be possible to repress, for many months longer, some public 
demonstration of the General Sentiment. 

I am. Dr. Sir, with very sincere regard Yours, 

Danl. Webster. 
Gen. Solomon Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany, N. Y. 

Rensselaer Van Bensselaer to Ms Father. 

Muy sertor mio, Bogota September 17, 1829. 

My last to you, dated 25th ult., was committed to the care of Mr. Joseph 
Gooding of Boston, and is now probably with him in the "Tampico" 
wending its way over the briny deep, tovvards its destination; if so you 
will have received that before this can reach its port of debarkation. I 
wish your letters to me could travel so speedily, it has taken your quickest 
one, nearly three months after its date to reach me. A cavalcade of about 
twenty natives and foreigners, among whom I was one, went out with 
Senor Gooding, as far as Puente Grande, to see him thus far on his way 
home. The brothers were deeply afi"ected at parting. The cause that 
leads to this separation between them, becomes every day more apparent. 
It is whispered that secret meetings are held at night by the Liberals to 
concert measures for counteracting the plans of Bolivar's friends. The 
mail which arrived here on Monday last, brought word of the Tampico's 
arrival at Carthagena, but to my disappointment, although she sailed from 
New York more than a fortnight after Mr. Moore, brought no word from 
home for me. I am of course in the dark still, as to Mr. 3Ioore's real in- 
tentions respecting myself, but am inclined to think, from the circum- 
stance of his not having brought out a private Secretary, that my services 
in that capacity will not be unacceptable to him. His arrival, which is 
now expected hourly, will dispel every doubt ; and by him I may look for 
the large package from home which you promised, in case be sailed from 
New York. Gen. Harrison some days since received a note from him, 
dated 10th ult., three days after his landing at Maracaybo, in which he 
states, that he will leave that City for this Capital in two days, and calcu- 
lated upon being here on the 10th of the present month. The seven days 
which have already passed, beyond his anticipated time for performing the 
journey proves that he was not aware of the difiiculties of traveling in this 
country. Gen. Harrison was forty days, including ten days stoppage at 
Cuenta, in performing the same journey. We are under some apprehen- 
sion that either Mr. 5loore or Mr. Pickett have fallen sick on the road. 

It is Gen. Harrison's intention to leave this as soon as possible, after 
transferring his office over, in order that he may pursue his route towards 
Carthagena at his leisure. He expects there the arrival of the Sloop of 
War " Natchez" , (that brought out his successor) from Brazil, to which 
place she has gone to carry Capt. Cassin, and expects to be able to sail for 
the United States about the middle of November. Gen. Harrison will 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 521 

leave South America, carrying with him the best wishes, not only of his 
own countrymen, but of all the Colombians and Foreigners, who had the 
honor of his acquaintance. He is heartily sick of this tropical America, 
and were he not, he would have no reason to regret his recall, as I am 
satisfied that the ill-advised measure will have the contrary effect of honor- 
ing him. He will have the largest escort tliat ever graced the departure 
of any foreigner from this Capital; not a military escort, but a cavalcade 
of sorrowing friends. For my own part I shall not leave the noble man, 
at any rate, until I see him borne, away from the store houses in Honda, 
by the waters of the Magdalena. Mr. 3Ioore writes he will take the 
General's furniture, if he does so, with the house and garden, he will not 
only acquire a supply of what he must otherwise procure here, bat a fine 
variety of first rate vegetables, and this arrangement will relieve the 
General of much trouble. Mr. Moore also mentions in his letter that he 
has in his possession Dispatches from the DepartnuMit lor General Harrison. 
They undoubtedly contain the official notice of the General's recall ; we 
will therefore witness here the novel sight of the Presentation of a Minister 
Plenipotentiary at Bogota by his predecessor. I am doubtful if this letter 
finds a passage home, before the General leaves this Country, but will 
forward it on to Carthagena in hopes that it may. I am anxious that such 
should be the case, as I see published in the United States papers, the 
rumors and contradictory statements growing out of a war between this 
Colombia and Peru, which may possibly give rise to some uneasiness 
among my friends at home ; but they need not be under any apprehension. 
The War is an offensive one on the part of Colombia, and is about sixty 
days journey for light mules from this ; then too any occurrence there, 
produces just about as much interest among foreigners here, as does the 
war in Eastern Europe. Even the little interest we lately received from 
the military operations in that remote quarter of the Republic, must take 
another turn, for J3olivar having obtained repossession of Guayaquil 
by capitulation, seems disposed, if not obliged for want of funds, to end 
this famous war in negotiation. An armistice between the contending 
powers has taken place, in May last for sixty day§, since which we have 
just heard that Commissioners on part of Peru were, in the Colombian 
camp, treating for Peace. Should this attempt for peace prove abortive, 
and should the Peruvian forces be able to defeat Gen. Bolivar in the 
South and make way through all the impenetrable passes to this City, 
I would look on the events as an uninterested spectator. 

Our Flag is held in such respect here, that any person under its pro- 
tection would find security even in a civil commotion. An Ambassador 
and his family have always been considered sacred, even in the most bar- 
barous nations. I hope therefore no one will give way to useless 
apprehensions on my account. Rumor they say, groics in its travels^ if 
that is the case any rumor relating to this country must be a monster by 
the time it reaches you. You have had. and undoubtedly will receive more 
exaggerated accounts from this new Republic, but again, I say, let my situa- 
tion here, bo a suiiicient guarantee to you of my personal security, and let 
me find contentment in knowing you have no anxiety on my account. The 
General now, in daily expectation of the arrival of Mr. Moore, his suc- 
cessor, has just sent his son off to Guaduas (the village of his own selec- 
tion, perhaps because his crony, before my arrival, 1). 0. Carr is stationed 
there) in order to acquire as much knowledge of the language as possible. 



522 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

before leaving the country. In a few weeks the Hendersons will also 
leave the city ; tlieir ostensible reason for it, is to give the workmen an 
opportunity to repair damages, caused by the earthquake, on their house. 
When they have gone we propose to make a trip to the Falls of Tequen- 
dama, "one of the most remarkable cataracts in the world about 15 or 16 
miles south west of this city, on the river Bogota, a branch of the Meta. 
This river, which passes through the Capital, is compressed (just above 
the falls) from 140 to 35 feet in width, and rushes down a perpendicular 
rock at two bounds, to the depth of 574 feet, into an unfathomable gulf." 
Three or four of us escorted Consul Henderson and family a few miles 
out of town and returned by the light of the moon. 

In the suburbs we met a patrol of twenty men, by whom we were in- 
stantly hailed with " QuUn vivo" (who lives)? '■'■Colombia" was 
answered by Dr. Cheyene. " Quienes" (who is there) ? " Oiudaddno" 
(citizen), was the reply, and we passed on unmolested. 

While on the subject of the military, a word or two for future remini- 
scence is well enough. There are about 1000 soldiers quartered in this 
city, and more or less in every place of any consequence throughout the 
republic. The aggregate number of the regular army is 40,000 with 70 
generals, 200 colonels, and other officers in proportion. This immense 
standing army engrosses all the revenue of the country for its support, nor 
is that sufficient; forced loans are frequently resorted to, in order to 
maintain them and to raise funds for other current expenses. The 
common soldiers here in the capital get one real — 122 cents j^er dicm^ 
without rations, which is quite enough to support them here ; but they 
are poorly clad ; very few have blankets, none shoes. In other places 
the pay is more or less, according to the abundance or scarcity of provisions. 
The common soldiers are caught on market days, by a press gang, and 
driven to the cantonment in chains — where they are enrolled for a 
number of years and called volunlario — volunteers. The dissatisfaction 
against the Government has now become so manifest that those in 
authority begin to perceive it and suspicions are awakened. They have 
arrested Tenoria under a charge of fomenting disturbances in the capital, 
and have thrown him into prison. It is supposed that advantage will be 
taken of Bolivar's advance in Peru, on the part of the Liberals or Consti- 
tutionalists to overcome his friends and those in favor of a monarchy in 
every part of the country. Such suppositions and Tenorio's imprisonment, 
is the cause of a great deal of distrust in the city. Cash people bury their 
riches, and visits are scarce ; people are fearful of committing themselves 
by unintentionally visiting a liberal and of course Bogota is now a dreary 
hole. Carter and the Hendersons are very much missed by all at our 
Legation. 

Sept. 2lsf. A little before dinner to day Commodore De Kay of the 
Brazilian service, the avant courier, sent on to announce the approach of 
Major Thomas P. Moore, Minister Plenipotentiary to Bogota and Mr. 
Pickett, arrived. After dinner Mr. Tayloe, myself and one or two of the 
General's guests, to day at dinner rode out on the Alameda, the north 
avenue from the city and escorted them in. They had been forty days 
traveling from Maracaybo exclusive of resting, were completely worn out 
with fatigue, and shivering under their Kentucky cloaks with the cold. 
While the party are telling over their perils by sea and land, I haste to 
bring this letter to a close. Mr. Moore mentions having seen you and 
two of my sisters in New York and that your health was good, those two 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 523 

I suppose were Adeline and Matilda. Mr. Moore is an active little man 5 
feet 8 inches in height, 45 years of a^;e, fall of anecdote and conversation ; 
he and the General to.<:;ether kept the table in a roar of laughter for hours. 

His Secretary Mr. Pickett like myself is about six feet high, he is a 
shrewd, quiet, sterling fellow. The Major's baggage will be here tomor- 
row when I will have the home letters of which he is the bearer. I have 
not heard him express a word in the short time we have been together, 
respecting myself and for causes mentioned to you in another letter care 
but little about it so I may succeed in my other plans. 

I pray dear Adeline's attempt may this time succeed and she mav re- 
cover from her unfortunate deafness, but she must not despond. 

Adios. Su servidor. 

Gen. Sol. Van Rensselaer, P. M., Albany, N. Y. R. V Rensselaer. 

Rensselaer Van Rensselaer to his Father. 
My Dear Father, Carthagena, November 17, 1829. 

My last of September 21st at IJogota was written and dispatched on the 
day of Mr. Moore's arrival in that city; since which circumstances have 
occurred, which induced me to think it useless to write you more from 
Bogota as they have led to an alteration of my plans and to my beiu"' at 
present in this place. We will return in thought back again to the 
Metropolis. Vergara — Secretary of State was immediately informed by 
the General of Moore's arrival, and requested to appoint an early day for 
his presentation. Vergara called with Miranda, his chief clerk and in- 
terpreter, on Colonel Moore two days after and appointed the 25th for 
his reception. The 25th of September however being the anniversary 
of Bolivar's escape from the conspirators in his palace, and as a grand 
mass with other ceremonies were to be performed then, as a test of their 
unbounded gratitude, in which the attendance of all orthodox Christians 
would be required, it was necessarily postponed until the following day. 

General Herrau, Prefect of the Department, had issued a proclamation 
on the 28th of July requiring all civil and military officers to wear mourn- 
ing on this day, but the Supreme Council rightly conceiving such a despotic 
order would only have the effect of increasing the discontent against 
Government gave him a rap over the knuckles and it had been withdrawn ; 
and very few were sycophantic or timorous enough to appear in black 
costume. This Herrau was the first who in public advocated a change 
from Republicanism to a Monarchy, having done so in a toast and an ac- 
companying speech ; and from that discontent became more general. On 
the evening of September 25th, while sitting in the house of a friend in 
the city, another friend popped in, and told me that an extraordinary dis- 
patch jfiad just arrived and if I would wait for him there one hour he 
would give me the news. He shortly returned and on our way towards 
the Huerto de Jayme told me that the brave General Cordova, was an 
Insurrectionist, and in arms in Antioquia, with the determination to restore 
to Colombia her Constitution of Cucuta and to put down the monarchists, 
or to fall in the attempt. His force was not known. The following day 
the news had been generally circulated and created an intense sensation, 
particularly on the part of the Government and monarchists. This 
Cordova had been the favorite general of Bolivar and was known among 
the friends of Liberty against the Spaniards, as a courageous, gallant and 
efficient commander. It is less than a year since he prevailed on Col. 
Obando, then at the head of the Constitutional Army, to lay down his 



524 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

arms and thereby saved the President from defeat and ruin. In the in- 
timacy, however, that ensued in consequence of this service, having 
ascertained that Bolivar's views were directed to a crown, he abandons 
him, and arms in this holy cause; he is the dread of all his enemies. 
There is now much anxiety and commotion among all the Officials; all 
the troops they could muster were immediately dispatched to put it down. 
Every person who was known tohnvebeen intimate with General Cordova 
was suspected ; some were imprisoned and one was extirpated. 

Well ! I must not forget to tell you about the Presentation of Col Moore. 
Two o'clock, Saturday Sept. 25th, being the hour appointed, the Old and 
New Legations from the United States, attended by Commodore De Kay 
adjourned from the Huerto de Jayme. to the Government Palace where 
they were received by Mr. Castillo the President of the Supreme Council 
and its members — General Herrau and others in the superb saloon. 
After a speech from Gen. Harrison officially introducing his successor, and 
resigning his functions; another from Col. Moore expressive of his good 
feeling towards this Government; and appropriate answers from Mr. 
Castillo, the ceremony ended. It was laughable to hear speeches delivered 
in such a grave manner as these were, when none of them were under- 
stood by the persons for whom they were intended. It was still more 
diverting to hear the President of the Supreme Council felicitating him- 
self upon the very tranquil and prosperous condition of Colombia, at a 
time when word of a formidable insurrection had just been communicated 
to them ; and when the interest on their public debt had not been paid 
for jears; when the Government Bonds were dull sale at ninety-seven 
per ct. discount ; and when there was not one cent in the treasury. Lord ! 
save the United States from such a state of prosperity. 

General Harrison, finding himself released from his public duties, and 
knowing that if he started homeward now, he would be detained several 
weeks in Carthagena, waiting for the arrival of the Sloop of War Natchez 
from Rio Janeiro, determined on gratifying a long cherished desire of 
being for a short time, in a climate more warm and agreeable to his con- 
stitution. Intending also to make short excursions and see more of the 
neighboring country. The 27th, or day after being superseded by Col. 
Moore, the General accompanied by Mr. Tayloe and Dr. Cheyne rode out 
to Anolaynia, a village twelve leagues off, to pay a visit to the family of 
Mr. James Henderson, H. B. M's Consul-General, who were residing at 
that place ; leaving the keys of the house with me and injunctions to do 
the honors of his establishment to the new Minister and his Suite. The 
General's son was still in Guaduas. At ten o'clock the following day I 
had all the servants of both families drawn up to give his Holiness the 
venerable Arch Bishop a suitable reception. He called, in his dark, 
heavy coach and four, attended by an old priest and six servants in brown 
livery, to pay his respects to the new American Minister. I had the honor 
of introducing the eminent gentlemen to each other; and subsequently 
the felicity of conducting the Arch Bishop, with the assistance of Com. De 
Kay, to his coach. We both received for our attentions, as many sanc- 
timonious benedictions as would have rendered any, but such a heretic 
as myself, invincible to the shafts of a legion of devils. My services 
were called in requisision again by Col. Moore to accompany him in re- 
turning the calls he had received since his arrival. After finishing up 
more than twenty — including all the Diplomatic families and principal 
foreigners and escorting him home, I called on our countryman Gooding 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 525 

in hopes of finding Carr who had been, with Carter Harrison on a visit to 
the Flendersons, and brought me a letter from him, written while there. 
Carr had arrived in the City, the night previous, with dispatches from 
Gen. Urdaneta Minister of War from Guaduas, and with tiie intention of 
joining his battalion, which was in preparation to march against Cordova. 
(He was the young American whom I have mentioned in a former number 
to have met on the road on my way up from the Magdalena river to Bogota.) 

In a conversation that evening at Goodings, where I was present with 
many other foreigners, Carr stated it to be his intention to enter his de- 
position the next day at the War Office, against some persons whom he 
knew to be on friendly terms with Cordova ; by so doing he expected to 
receive promotion and the appointment of Aid to General O'Leary — the 
Commander of the troops destined to fight Cordova. His words delivered 
in a half jesting tone were, at the time, unheeded ; but imagine my sur- 
prise the next day, when sent for by a friend of Gen. Harrison to learn 
that this calculating scoundrel had not only fulfilled his intention, but 
that (he persons he had implicated were his best friends. Carr had truly 
entered an affidavit in the secretary of State's office that Consul Henderson 
knew all of Cordova's plans and corresponded with him ; nearly the same 
of Col. Torrens the Mexican Charge'd AflFaires ; of Mr. Leidendorf the 
Agent of the Banking House of Goldsmidth ; of young Harrison ; and that 
Gen. Harrison had full information on the subject ! For a short time I 
was lost in amazement that a countryman, and one too from one of the 
first families in Virginia, could be guilty of so mean an action to promote 
his advancement. I recalled to mind what Colonel Moore had said, that 
he " had set that man down from his first interview as capable of any 
base action " and how provoked I had felt at the Colonel for misjudging 
Carr — as I then thought. I soon however threw aside idle speculations 
and betook myself to action. I knew that the Government so despotic on 
common occasions ; which had rewarded in anticipation the informant, 
and often had by a summary process punished the persons informed 
against — by expulsion or otherwise if the charges were not immediately 
rebutted would also be active. I soon understood from high authority, 
that it was the intention of Government to make the affidavit of an un- 
grateful miscreant, without other proof, their ground for sending to a high- 
minded soldier like Gen. Harrison, an order not to return to the capital. 
I accordingly dropped one letter in the Post Office for Carter B. Harrison — 
Guaduas, desiring him to join his father immediately, and forthwith dis- 
patched another letter to the General by a mounted messenger; remaining 
myself to find out if possible the inten'ions of the Government. 

Col. Torrens feared that Henderson might have put his papers in Gen. 
Harrison's charge when he left town. Col. Moore was a little nettled 
when he found I had sent for the General without first consulting him. 
I told him that I had considered it so essential for the General to be im- 
mediately informed, that I did not wish to lose time in troubling him with 
it ; but that now the General was in a fair way of knowing all before lie 
takes another breakfast, I wished to know what course to pursue in case 
the Government send here to demand his papers before his return. " Have 
you any reason to suppose," he asked, " that Gen. Harrison is in any way 
concerned in this disturbance of Cordovas?" "Not the least in the 
world." " Then why should you desire to embroil yourself by trying to 
prevent the execution of this Government's orders? if Flcndcrson has left 
his correspondence in this house (and you don't know that he has) the 



526 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

General is not answerable for him. I therefore recommend you to keep 
a bold front and permit them unmolestedly to take their course and ex- 
amine the house." Swellino- with indignation at such advice — I angrily 
replied that, " I would put on a bold front, but if the Government troops 

enter this house, except over my dead carcass I'll consent to be d d." 

He was terribly annoyed at this determination, but I repeated again that, 
while I lived in that house no examination of papers shall take place in 
it. He then left me, saying he would go out and make some inquiries 
himself about the substance of Carr's affidavit. 

Cato was the acting porter for the night with orders to call me if any but 
tRe household knocked at the door and precautions taken and preparations 
made to prove how far man can go when spurred by duty. I threw my- 
self on my bed without undressing, with lights burning. At half past 
eleven o'clock I heard footsteps in the inner square of the house, and 
presently the door of my room opened, when Col. Moore entered and 
found me standing by my table facing the door, with sword, dirk, guns, pistols 
&c., in a state for action. " Well" says he, " I see you're ready." I 
made no reply to that, but asked him what he had learned. " It is all 
too true," says he, " Henderson is implicated over head and ears. Tor- 
rens and Leidersdorf nearly as much. Gen. Harrison less than any, but 
all badly enough. Carter's name is used too. but I can't find out in what 
manner. It is a serious aifair and now after more reflection I find you are 
right; the house must be protected, and you may make yourself easy, 
and go to bed with the assurance, that I will use all my influence to do so; 
when that proves unavailing, I'll use my arms and by God, the house 
shan't be entered for an examination of papers while I live. Right or 
wrong the General shall be defended." 

Such a declaration from a person of his authority, and one whose good 
will, it was the policy and hope of the Government to conciliate, operated 
upon me (as it was unlooked for) in this moment of doubt and uncertainty, 
as a reprieve would to a criminal under the gallows. I involuntarily 
grasped his hand in the agony of feeling, and if my eye moistened a little 
it is not to be wondered at, while muttering something about his taking a 
correct view of the subject — now acting in character as a Representative 
of the United States, the General being a friend of mine &c. He refused 
the arms I off"ered, as he had plenty of his own, and left me to put them 
in order before going to bed. 

I was now quite relieved — but did not " douse my lights/' or close my 
eyes in sleep that night. Next morning I was astonished in passing a shop, 
to see its owner, whom I thought at that time, at or near Anolayma, 
behind his counter at work as usual ; but soon discovered that he had been 
frightened back when four leagues from the City, by a swaggering 
Colonel in the Colombian service. This afiair loaded me again with 
anxiety and trouble ; it was well known that the Republican principles of 
Gen. Harrison had long been dreaded by this Government, and that he 
had been looked upon with an eye of suspicion since he had publicly 
contradicted a report, which they had industriously circulated, of Presi- 
dent General Jackson's intentions to crown himself King of the United 
States. Such a report the Monarchists had hoped would have reconciled 
the people of Colombia to such a change ; having been thwarted thus in 
their calculations, there was no doubt that they would if possible, get rid 
of the man, who merely in refuting a slander on his country, had been 
the cause of their mortification. Knowing all this and feeling that any 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 527 

indignity intended General Harrison was an insult to my country — my 
plans of operation were speedily formed. I returned home — ordered a 
horse — which had been in the stable all night against any emergency — 
to be saddled and breakfast to be brought in. Put on a traveling dress, 
took a hasty breakiast and gave the keys of the house to Col. Moore 
requesting him to be his own entertainer until the General's return 
to-morrow evening. " Why ! where are you going ? " says he. " To 
Anolayma," I . answered. " My messenger has been frightened 
back by a Colombian officer and Gen. Harrison is still ignorant 
of what's going on." " You will be sent back too." " But I have a pass- 
port here," showing him one of my pistols and a dirk. He shook his head, 
indicating that they would not carry me through, then told me that I was 
running mj'self into useless danger, as anything I now could do, would not 
save the General, the order would reach him before I could. I then told 
him that the order was not yet issued and that it was useless to attempt 
talking me out of my jaunt — for it was my duty to acquaint the General 
of what was going on &c. I would see him at all hazards. " If you will 
go, I can't prevent it, but I fear your hot blood will lead you into a 
scrape." " If it does " says I, " I hope to work myself out again, I could 
send another messenger, but none with a probability of succeeding as well 
as myself. I am attache to Gen. Harrison's family, and as such, they 
have no right to stop me — for the General is still as much entitled to all 
his privileges as ever. I shall tell all who attempt to stop me the same 
thing — if they then persist — I am fully determined to force my way if 
possible." He then left me with a promise to do his best to have all 
proceedings put off, on part of the Government, till the General's return. 
When I passed the parlor, I saw Col. Moore within deeply engaged in 
conversation with Miranda; they both saw me in my traveling trim and 
saw me mount my horse — but the supposition that this Chief Clerk 
would divine my designation, and report it to the Secretary of State — 
did not in the least tend to cause a diminution of speed when under head- 
way. Every step my horse took, he felt the application of whip or spur, 
and dashed along the first seven leagues over the plain, fast enough even 
to satisfy my impatience. I cast many anxious looks behind for pursuers, 
and every look, as the distance from the capital increased, made me feel 
greater security. 

I now had left the great Honda route, and the straggling squads of 
soldiers traveling on it, and for the first slacked my horse's speed to relieve 
him by walking up the steep acclivity from the estate of Las Monjas. 
On the summit level T had a view of the entire plain below; though I 
saw no one on the road I iiad just left in chase, still I made my weary nag 
pace it along pretty briskly over the fine path I met with there, without more 
than a casual glance at the majestic splendor of the distant rugged mount- 
ains covered with glistening snow. A bad zigzag descent after a while, 
and a hilly road with its necessary meandering and windings so worried 
my horse, that I would have changed him for a fresh one, but that being 
•an impossibility as none could be procured at Sipacon I proceeded. 
Shortly after leaving Sipacon, a mud hole of considerable length in which 
he sunk over his knees in the stiff clay, together with still another terri- 
ble pass, near the edge of a giddy precipice, appeared to have " done him 
up," he would not be excited to great speed by wliip or spur, but walked 
along leisurely, for some time at his own gait. At length hearing great 
clatterinjr of hoofs behind me, I turned and saw comiuii: around an ani>;le 



528 Leqacy of Historical Gleanings. 

in the road, a liorseman driving along at a furious rate, with a cockade in 
his hat and sword by his side ; immediately another in a rapid gallop 
made his appearance. The idea at once struck me, that they had been 
sent at the instigation of Miranda to escort me back to the metropolis ; 
every nervfe was strung for action, but I felt quite pleased to think there 
were no more of them. They passed by me without checking their pro- 
gress, but I fancied they eyed me very closely, with intense surprise and 
thought there was something satirical in their salutation which I returned 
and they were soon out of sight. 

I conjectured now that they might have been dispatched direct to the 
General and Consul General ; and I most cordially cursed the whole 
country when to the question if he had hay, addressed to the owner of a 
house by the wayside, I received for answer, " No, Seiior, no hay." " Is 
there a fresh horse here ?" " No Senor there is not." Then giving my 
poor beast a desperate spurring with all my force, and putting the whip 
in play at the same time, he went flying down the hill after the two horse- 
men, whom I now discovered at the foot of it fixing their saddles. I was 
about passing by without paying the least attention to these suspicious 
looking personages, when they very civilly hailed me and told me that as 
my " horse appeared quite fatigued, I had better stop awhile and let him 
blow." Aha! thinks 1, they now wish to commence operations, and do 
it in a very courteous manner, but I will let them see I can match them 
in any thing if not check-mate. Accordingly I stopped and replied, their 
" recommendation was a very good one," and without appearing to have 
the slightest mistrust rode up near them and in a gay style dismounted. 
I might not have done so if I had not been perfectly sure that their 
horses would have very quickly overtaken me. As it was, I had no other 
recourse. I was well armed, and they could not know it, of course I had 
every advantage on that scoi'e. I threw myself on my own ingenuity to find 
out their intentions. I had scarcel}' alighted when one of them began an 
interrogatory with " Adonde" (where) ? When thinks I, the pumping 
must be commenced by myself, so broke him short off, by maledictions on 
my horse for not following me to a stake, and then by singing out " Tray- 
game candela muchacho" (bring me fire boy); and by ofiiering cigars to 
both of the strangers. I beat him so unexpectedly off his track, that I 
could now, myself very naturally interrogate, and did so by asking him 
where he was bound. "To Anolayma," says he. " How far is it frcm 
here ? " " Three hours ride." " Do you live there ? " " Yes ! I am the 
Commandant of Arms there, if you are going that way, we'll ride together. 
I suppose you know the Consul ? " •' Of course, ever one knows the Con- 
sul." " That's true," says he. Finding him so prompt in his answers, I 
led him from one subject to another in the way of chit-chat, and learned that 
Gen. O'Leary and suite had left the city about half an hour after I did; 
that the Government had sent orders out to collect in the capital, a certain 
proportion of the militia, to replace the regulars who had marched away ; 
and that the quota from the district of this commandant, for that purpose, 
would be fifty. I did all I could indirectly to discover if he had any com- 
mission for Gen. Harrison or Henderson, but for fear of betraying too 
much anxiety on that subject was obliged to drop it, satisfied that either 
he had none, or that he was too good a politician to let me know it. The 
times his manners, and the mode of his starting a conversation with me, 
all had a tendency to keep my vigilance on the alert ; therefore notwith- 
standin"- his suavity of deportment, I always kept an eye upon his move- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 529 

ments and a hand on a pistol. We took some chichi together and at his 
instigation, gave a quantity to our horses, he said it would revive them. 
Mine drank half a pailful and for the feat, was pronounced emborrachon 
drunkard by the Commandant. We then mounted and I was politely 
offered the lead, and just as politely insisted upon their taking it them- 
selves, alleging that my nag would follow better than lead, besides they 
knew the way and I did not. They accordingly bounded on ahead, and I 
felicitated myself on the success of my maneuvre by which I had escaped 
the possibility of an attack in the rear, and merrily pushed on after them. 
Whether the chichi had the efficacy the Commandant ascribed to it or 
whether my horse was fond of company on this lonely road, I know not, 
but it is certain that he now got along quite as fast as when first starting 
in the morning nor could they with all their furious driving leave him 
behind. The commandant was quite as fond of society as my horse, and 
very communicative — he told me he was Carracanian by birth — talked 
much of commerce — shipping and steamhoats. He had once gone a three 
days journey from Anolayma to Penon de Conejo to see one ; and was 
quite astonished when I told him, that that kind of vessels, on some 
rivers in the United States, were as plentiful as champans on the Mag- 
dalena. He gave me the names of the different kinds of elegant large 
trees by the road side — pointed out to me a spot, marked by a cross of 
rough wood — where a countryman returning from market had been 
murdered, and indicated the site in a deep ravine where his body had 
been found, almost destroyed by the gaUindza — buzzard ; and wound up 
by intimating that it was very imprudent for a stranger, like me, to travel 
sinarmar — without arms. I gave him my assent to his position with 
something like a contemptuous smile — and thought how disappointed he 
would be if he had any sinister designs on my person, provided he under- 
took to carry them into effect, to find me so ready to meet him. After a 
while we came to a halt, on a little flat at the head of a long, dreary, steep 
and narrow pass — a place well calculated for any "deed of darkness" — 
when pulling from his pocket a short, thick ivory whistle, he turned round 
and observed, that it was necessary to carry such a thing, in order to warn 
muleteers below of his approach, at such narrow defiles, or there would 
be a difficulty in passing each other. Then giving a long shrill blast, he 
held his head down in an attentive position, and directly the peculiar 
whoop of a muleteer was heard in answer from the deep dell beneath us. 
The officer gave two more blasts — two responsive whoops were heard, which 
satisfied him, that the mules below had stopped and calling out to me 
" Ahdra vaydmonos " (let us go on now), he put the spurs in his nag and 
away he went, myself at his heels — down the rough, crooked escalera 
(staircase). I had a few days previous read a well written tale, in one of 
the magazines, of the adventures of Spoliano, an Italian Bandit ; the scenes 
in that assimilated so much to this — and my present situation so much 
to that of the victims, who had been lured within his power, that I now 
gave up the idea of my cicerone'.s being a government messenger, and put 
him down for one of Spoliauo's occupation. His story of the murdered 
parimno (countryman) — his allusions to my defenseless situation — his 
whistle were all so strongly confirmative of this suspicion — that instead 
of finding the persons who had answered his shrill summons with a shout, 
simple inoftensive muleteers — I expected shortly to see a parcel of tall, 
whiskered and mustachioed outlaws. Each with mach6ttas iu their hands, 
. 67 



530 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

spring out from their hiding places among the rocks, with " dar me su 
pldta" (give me your money). However we sallied out at the foot of 
the escaUra without an adventure, where we found an old Indian with his 
squaw, mule and ox freighted with hides of molasses — from him came 
the whoops. 

All doubts of the Commandant were entirely dispelled only when we 
came to the great square of the romantic village of Anolayma, then he 
pointed out to me the way to the Consul General's residence and with 
" Adios Senor," turned taking another direction for his home followed by 
his attendant. It was now sunset; all the ladies and gentlemen except 
the General were out enjoying their evening walk, giving me an uninter- 
rupted opportunity of communicating the unpleasant tidings to him. 
He could scarcely believe in the reality of the information, that Carr for 
whom he had done so much could have proved the ungrateful perjurer. 
Conscious, however, of his own innocence he did not evince the least 
alarm or uneasiness upon the occasion but very unconcernedly walked off 
with me to meet Henderson and Tayloe. I had borne the news to those 
so deeply interested and the following morning Tayloe left for Guaduao, 
while General Harrison and Consul General Henderson, of course, repaired 
with all possible expedition to the capital to meet any charges ; none were 
preferred against them — but, notwithstanding, Henderson, Torrens, and 
Leidendorf very soon received their Passports to leave the Country at a 
short notice. The friends, whom I had left behind me in Bogota the 
morning I started with the evil tidings, were every moment looking out 
in the most anxious expectation of seeing me brought back a prisoner. 
Mr. Moore was then in trouble too, lest I should come in contact with the 
reprobate Carr, who with O'Leary was close at my heels, he told those 
friends that if we did meet, it would be " a bloody meeting," It must 
undoubtedly have been such had they attempted to stop me, but I am 
very happy now I did not see him, it is far better for both. 

When Mr. Tayloe and Carter Harrison arrived the hearts of all parties 
could beat more evenly. Carr reached Guaduas the same evening that 
Tayloe did, and the scoundrel, supposing that Tayloe had not yet heard 
of his villainy, went up to him in a most hypocritical manner and offered 
him his hand, but Tayloe after eyeing him scornfully a moment, turned 
his back upon him without saying a word — when Carr sneaked out of 
the house like a sheep stealing dog. 

He met young Harrison on his way out, but passed by him, with his 
eyes on the ground, without opening his mouth to the intimate friend, or 
companion rather, though at parting with him a few days befoi'e, he had shod 
a copious flood of tears. Genl. O'Leary when told by Tayloe of Carr's 
shameful conduct declared that he had not known of it before, and that he 
had been put in his staff without his wi.sh, or consent. How much proba- 
bility there was in that statement, may be inferred from the fact that — my 
authority from whom I first heard that Carr had made such a deposition, 
and which proved correct as far as it went, stated most positively that Genl. 
O'Leary and Carr were together when it was made. The jealousy of the 
government towards the friends of Cordova is proved, because as soon as the 
news of his raising the constitutional standard was heard in the capital, his 
own nephew who was quite a boy, with some personal friends were thrown into 
prison. It was manifested also in the exile of Nicholasa Ibera a lady of 
great beauty, wealth and accomplishments ; the mother of six children — a 
great Liberal. Her friendship for the caluminated and unjustly exiled Vice- 



Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 531 

President, Santander, had drawn upon her the suspicions of government 
and she was accused of holding political meetings at her elegantly fur- 
nished Qumta (country seat) near the city, and sent off under a guard of 
soldiers, accompanied by a crippled son and daughter. The expectations 
of the perjured crack brained Virginian in reward for his unparalleled vil- 
lainy have been amply rewarded; he is indeed attached to the suite of Gen. 
O'Leary, but with all his honor he bears the most cordial contempt of 
every honest man of all parties. Nor does any person attempt to sup- 
press the feeling at his duplicity in worming himself into the good 
opinion of individuals, in order to draw from them circumstances whereon 
to found a tale which so far imposed on a distracted and credulous govern- 
ment, as to elicit its belief in his veracity ; and consequently procured 
his promotion at the expense of his confiding friends. The unprincipled 
fellow's course to advance himself was this; having learned that last year 
before setting out on his successful campaign against Col. Obando in Pop- 
ayan, this General Cordova had been very attentive to one of the beauti- 
ful daughters of Consul General Henderson, and that common fame had 
spoken of an engagement at the time, (however untrue, the young lady was 
but thirteen years of age), and knowing how suspiciously the Government 
viewed all, who had ever been on terms of intimacy with Gen. Cordova, 
this perfidious fellow paid a visit, uninvited, to this unsuspecting family at 
Anolayma. He was kindly welcomed — he had partaken of their fare, 
walked, talked and sung with the young ladies — he had been treated as 
a friend but, most fiend like, he was then plotting their ruin. On his re- 
turn he invented the tissue of absolute falsehoods upon which only rests 
the apology of this government for its outrageous proceedings against the 
Diplomatic Agents of other countries. 

It remains to be seen if those countries will accept so paltry an excuse 
for its insults. General Cordova had been exceedingly pleased with, and 
very assiduous in his devotion to, Miss Fanny, the third daughter of Con- 
sul Henderson. When in Bogota his leisure moments were spent in the 
society of that family, he walked, rode and was ever with them at parties ; 
they owed much to his civilities. They described him to be the handsom- 
est of all Colombidns, rather tall, well made, dark hair and eyes, expression 
determined and dignified, gentlemanly in all his actions, above all a man 
of the strictest honor, his word could always be depended upon. They 
had full opportunity of judging and appreciating his character. When he 
and Gen. Bolivar left the capital, to put down Obando, before they pursued 
their expedition against Peru — Mr. Henderson rode out with them some 
leagues, and at parting asked Bolivar to write often to let him know how 
he prospered. He answered in a laughing way, " I will be too much en- 
gaged, but Cordova, I am sure will tire you with letters — he'll give you 
all the news." Cordova did write, and probably did give all the passing 
events — of this many people knew — Carr too must have heard of it, which 
enabled him to weave his diabolical tale. Cordova's splendid career to es- 
tablish the liberties of the country and cast off the yoke of Spanish oppres- 
sion and tyranny was often openly discussed; the peaceful termination of 
Col. Obando's insurrection, was attributed to him. Mr. Henderson had 
conversed quite freely with me on the situation, history and affairs of Co- 
lombia and Colombians. His connection with Cordova was told to me 
openly for there was nothing to be concealed. After Cordova had con- 
cluded a pacific ncgociation with Col. Obando — he by some means became 
convinced of Bolivar's schemes of ambition and not being able to bring his 



532 Legacy of Historical Gleanings. 

pure principles to favor them — tendered his resignation. This Bolivar 
refused to accept and knowing his vast influence and efficiency — appointed 
him Minister of Marine, in order to reconcile him to his own measures. 

Cordova understood the motive of this favor — but instead of swallowing 
the bait — instead of proceeding as directed to Bogota to enter upon the 
duties of his new office — he returned home, as events have shown to oppose 
the progress of monarchy and to sustain the dearly purchased liberties of 
the country in her struggles for independence. The circumstance of his 
diiFerence with Bolivar was mentioned in one of his letters to Consul Gen- 
eral Henderson ; who in reply regretted it — and advised him by all means, 
to keep upon good terms with the Liberator, but, if the unfortunate quarrel 
was not settled, he desired that he should not be written to more on the 
subject, as he might be involved into difficulty by such a correspondence. 
In consequence of this discreet and proper request,so decidedly expressed — 
Cordova's subsequent letters were, as his previous ones had been of a gen- 
eral or of a friendly import, and Henderson did not fear publishing them, 
entire to the world. There was a story put in circulation in Honda, of 
the capture of a servant of General Cordova, on whom, it was said letters 
were found from that General directed to Consul General Henderson, ad- 
vising him by all means to leave the country at once. It proved to be a 
mere rumor and the family were so strongly impressed with the idea that 
Colonel Campbell was at the foot of all the mischief, that a confirmation 
of it did not excite the least surprise. Circumstances favored me, and 
through them I learnt that the enmity of Colonel Campbell towards Mr. 
Henderson was the sole promoter, if not the origin of all this mischievous 
caballing. 



END OF VOL. L 



INDEX. 



Aaron, Mr., 112. 

Abraham P. Lott to Philip Van 
Rensselaer, .52. 

Account current, curious, 3-35. 

Acosta, Col., 49!t. 

Adams, 409, 410, 415. 

Adams, Andrew, 57, 58. 

Adams, John, 38, 81, 150. 

Adams, John Q., 307, 338, 368, 
403, 405, 416, 437, 464; to 
Solomon Vau Rensselaer, 
403 ; president, 149. 

Adams, Mr., 54, 383, 416, 430. 

Adams, Samuel, 38, 160. 

Affrays, 167-168 ; statement of 
facts, 169 ; speech at trial 
of, 170-182 ; awards in re- 
spect of, 182. 

A hard gallop, .527. 

Aix-la-Uhapelle. treaty of, 18. 

Albany, appointment of poet 
master at, 366. 

Albany, first mayor, 8 ; first 
clerk, 8 ; first recorder, 8 ; 
first pastor, 8. 

Albany Quill, the^dreaded, 315. 

Albany made the capital, 18:3. 

Albany post office, correspond- 
ence about, 388-392. 

Alexander, Captain, 12. 

Alexander, Joseph, 196, 197, 
199, 200, 201, 203, 205, 207. 
209, 219. 228, 229, 2;i6, 242, 
243, 244, 266, 268, 273, 274, 
275, 27ti, 278, 280, 288, 297, 
298, 300, 303, 486. 

Allen, Col. Ethan, 41, 48. 

Allen, Nathaniel, 378. 

Alligators, extraordinary num- 
bers of, 481. 

Alligator's nest, sleep in, 490. 

Allyu, Captain, 411. 

Alye, Capt., 46. 

Ames, Mr., 344. 

Amhurst, General, 28, .33. 

Amsterdam, incidents in, 118. 

Ancient orders, 18, 19. 

Andes, origin of name of, 438. 

Andros, Edmund, 8. 

Andrews, Capt., 119, 

Anecdote, amusing, 103. 

Annom, Capt., 116. 

Anolayama, Adios Sefior, 530. 

Anthony, Charles, 420. 

Anthony, Gen., 90. 

Appling, Lieut. Col., 325. 

Armistice, news of, 306. 

Armstrong, Capt., 258, 263. 

Armstrong, Col., 63. 

Armstrong, Gen. John, 216, 
231, 2.55, 285, 305, 308, 310, 
311, 316, 318, .319, 471, 472; 
to Judge Spencer, 471 . 

Array news. 111. 

Army, number of, 522. 

Arnold, 412. 

Arnold, Col. Benedict, 48. 

Arnold, Gen., 53, 70, 186. 

Arrest, 485. 



Assassination, horrible, 432. 
At water, Hon. Caleb, 431. 
Avendano, Seiior Martin, 497, 
498, 499. 



Babbington, Sarah, 51 . 

Bacon, John P., 354. 

Bailey, Gen., 385. 

Bainbridge, Com., 351. 

Bainhart, Mr., 202. 

Baker, Caleb, 3:38. 

Baker, Major D.. 424. 

Balcom, Col., 309. 

Baldwin, Bbenezer, 486, 

Ball, Lieut. Gen., 141. 

Bancker, Gerard, 83. 

Banyar, George, 36. 

Baptist, John, 25. 

Barber, Gen., 107. 

Barbour, Hon. P.P., 268, 385, 
408. 

Barbour, James W., 356. 

Barnum, P. T.,400. 

Barnum, Stephen. 311. 

Barny, Joshua, 318. 

Barrauquilla, 442. 

Barron. James, 350. 

Barry, Wm. F., 470, 487. 

Barten, Judge, 236. 

Barton, Mr., 289, 262. 

Barun, Lieut. John, 56. 

Basset, John, 152. 

Bates, Stephen, 311. 

Battle, after the, 230-283. 

Battle of Queenston Heights, 
238. 

Bayard, Judith, 10. 

Bay, Cornelius, 76. 

Bay, Dr. William, 156, .327, 
357, 367, 377, .378, 381, 436. 

Bay, John, of Claverack, 404. 

Bay, Mary, 427. 

Beard, Mr., 222, 22^3. 

Bearer of bad news, 530. 

Beck, N. F.,486. 

Becker, Mr., 4.32. 

Bedell, Col., 53. 

Beekman, Caty, 428. 

Beekman, Mr. Jerard, 428. 

Beeldsnyder, S. C, 120. 

Beers, P. Wm., 152. 

Belknap, Lieut., 1335. 

Bell, Juo., 98. 

Bellingers, Lieut., 221. 

Benedict, Col., 199. 

Benevolent Society, the Wash- 
ington, to Cols. Van Uens- 
selaer and Lovett, 2S1-283. 

Benson, 223. 

Benson, Capt., 49. 

Benson, Mrs., 146. 

Benson, Robert, 57. 

Benton Gov., 158. 

Berry, John, 321. 

Beverly, Mr., 416. 

Bewel, Col., 55. 

Bibb, George M., 317 ; to John 
J. Critenden, 317. 



Biddle, Major, 424. 

Birdsall, Alajor, 3:3.3. 

Blauchard, Judge, 333. 

Bleecker, Uarmanus, 328, 367, 
415. 

Bleecker, John James, Mr., 57. 

Bleecker, John R., 486. 

Bleecker, Mr. Barent, 158. 

Bleecker, Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer, 418. 

Blenheim House, visit to, 127. 

Blodget, Mr., 34. 

Blodgett, Samuel, 33 . 

Bloodgood, 178, 182. 

Bloodgood, Col., 418. 

Bloodgood, Francis. 168, 190, 
486. 

Bloodgood, Mr., 167, 175, 180. 

Bloom, Col., 231, 234, 256, 257. 

Bloom, Lt. Col., 267. 

Blue, Lieut. Wm. K., to Capt. 
Van Rensselaer, 106, 123. 

Blue, R. W., 123. 

Bogardus, Gen.. 487. 

Bogardus, Robt., 366, 367. 

Bogart, Isaac, 327. 

Bogota, climate of, 473. 

Bogota, recuperating at, 512. 

Bolivar, Gen. Simon, 4-37, 440, 
454, 462, 499, 500, 517, 521, 
522, 5213, 521. 5:31, 532; and 
Cordova, 52:3 ; president, 
445 ; to assume royalty, 499. 

Borland, 375. 

Bounties, heavy, to soldiers, 
324. 

Bowyers, Capt. Henry, 34. 

Boyd, General, 321 . 

Boyd, Messrs., 3.34. 

Boyd, Peter, 131, 275, 

Boyd, Robert, Junr., 55. 

Braddock, Gen., 18, 75, 136. 

Bradford, Dr., 327, 1355. 

Bradlord, John M., 149. 

BratUey, 402. 

Bradley, W. C, 408. 

Bradstrect, General, .32. 

Bradt, Alicia, 91. 

Bradt, Peter, 42. 

Braiuard's bridge, 418. 

Brandt Van Hook to Philip 
Van Rensselaer, 71 . 

Brant, Capt., .53. 

Brant, John, 262. 

Brant, Joseph, 3, 53, 123. 

Bratt, Alida, 10. 

Bratt, Maria, 18. 

Bray, Mr., 93. 

Brecks, J., 94. 

Breech, Ens., 124. 

Bresson, M . De, 503, 504, 508, 
510. 

Bresson, Dr., 515. 

Bridgen, Mayor T. A., 418. 

Bridge of Paudi, a party visit, 
508. 

Brinckerhoof, Geo., 519. 

British, a brush with, 280. 

British fleet, capture of, 320. 



534 



Index. 



Broadstreet, John, 2-1. 

Brock, Gen., 210, 212, 216, 217, 
218, 220, 221, 222, 226, 2;M, 
234, 237, 251, 254, 256, 264, 
267, 268, 270. 271, 272, 273, 
275,423; to Gen. Van Kens- 
selaer, 233; killed, 268. 

Brock, Isaac, 215, 250 ; to Gen. 
Van Rensselaer, ^0. 

Brook, 110. 

Brook, Col., 231. 

Broom, Mr., 127. 

Broome, Caroline, 297. 

Brown, Doctor, 220, 223. 

Brown, Gen., 179, 224, 344. 

Brown, Hubbard, 54. 

Brown, Jacob, 362. 

Brown, Mr., 192. 

Brown, Mrs Senator, 353, 

Brush, Adjutant, 418. 

Brush, Mr., 355. 

Brush, Captain, 222. 

Brush, John, 364. 

Bucktails, democrats and fede- 
ralists, 338. 

Buell, Major, 119. 

Buel, Gen. Nath., 55. 

Bull fight, a, 514, 515. 

Bunch, Mr., 448, 465. 

Burgoyne, Gen., 48, 59, 60, 61, 
63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 72. 

Burke, 445, 446. 

Burlington, Vt.. 407. 408. 

Burr, Aaron, 112, 186, 113, 402. 

Butler, Col. Thomas, 140, 141, 
142, 143, 144 ; to Capt. Van 
Rensselaer, 143. 

Butler, Lieut. Col . , 145. 

Cady, Daniel. 402. 
Cady, John W., 402. 
Calhoun, John C . , 145, 338, 362, 

368, 370, 378, 383, 402, 409, 

430. 
Cambreleng, C. C, 368. 
Cambrelliug, 375. 
Cambrelling, vice president, 

387. 
Campaign, journal of, 194. 
Campbell, 375. 
Campbell, Archibald, 368. 
Campbell, Captain, 103. 
Campbell, Captain K. M., to 

Captain Van Rensselaer, 

96. 
Campbell, Capt. R. Ms., 94, 

96, 112, 188. 
Campbell, Col., 499, 503, 504, 

505, 582. 
Campbell, Samuel, 368, 389. 
Canada, invasion of, 253 ; fail- 
ure of. 249. 
Canajoharie, 4(J2. 
Canal ball, grand, 428. 
Carleton, Gen., 46, 47, 
Carleton, Gov., 48. 
Carleton, Sir Guy, 53. 
Carnival, the feast of, 467. 
Carr, 525, 526. 
Carr, D. O., 521. 
Carr, Lieut., 273. 
Carr, the Virginian, 501. 
Carter, 522, 526. 
Carter, N. 11., 357; to Solomon 

Van Rensselaer, 357. 
Carthageua, a glance at, 443- 

448. 
Case, Col., 222. 

Case, Cornelius G. V. R., 427. 
Case, Walter, 338. 
Casein, Capt., 520. 
Castillo, President, 524. 
Catharine, 10. 
Cato, a colored servant, 444 ; 

falls into the river, 495. 



Center, Capt., 411. 

Challenge from Peter B. Porter 
to Solomon Van Rensse- 
laer, 287. 

Champion, 36. 

Champlain, John, 170. 

Chandler, Gen., 301, 

Chapin, Dr. Cyreuius, 284, 285; 
to Col. Van Rensselaer, 
284. 

Charlotte, Queen, 232. 

Chester, Rev. Dr., 419, 436. 

Chipman, Dr. Daniel, 220. 

Christening, a, in South Ame- 
rica, 465. 

Christie, Lieut. Col., 248, 249, 
254, 255, 256, 260, 266, 273, 
286. 

Chrystie, Col., 252, 253. 

Church, Mr., 127. 

Church, Mr. and Mrs., 116. 

Church, Mrs., 118. 

Church, Mrs. John C, 115. 

Citizens of Albany to post 
master general, 486. 

Clark, Robert, 378. 

Clarkson, Capt., 126. 

Clarkson, Gen. M., 335, 411. 

Claus, D., 17 ; order for tobacco 
from, 17. 

, Claus, Santa, 5, 6. 
[Clay, Mr. Henry, 287, 297, 299, 
339, 354, 356, 360, .362, 364, 
' 365, 402, 405, 406, 408, 409, 

f 415, 420, 431, 445 ; to Solo- 
mon Van Rensselaer, 405. 

Clinch, Abraham, 75. 

Clinton, 487. 

Clinton, Charles A., 377, 381, 
417, 418, 419, 472 ; to Solo- 
mon Van Rensselaer, 377, 
381, 472. 

Clinton, Col.. 418. 

Clinton, DeWitt, 168, 187, 306, 
311, 320, 328, 330, 331, 334, 
338, 349, 352, 354, 364, 367, 
368, 386, 398. 399, 400, 406, 
414, 419, 420, 421, 425, 4;«; 
to Solomon Van Rensse- 
laer, 349, 352, 355, 358, 359, 

362, 363, 369, 374, 380; a 
grand reception to, 420 ; 
visits Ohio, 419 ; death of, 
435 ; honors at funeral of, 
436. 

Clinton, Gen. James, 455. 
Clinton, Gov., 328, 329, 331, 
352, 355, 357, 358, 359, 362, 

363, .369, 374, 380, 402, 426. 
427, 436 ; to Gen. Talmadge, 
328 ; to Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer, 331. 

Clinton, Gov. and lady, 429. 
Clinton, Gov. George, 73, 81, 

88, 112, 154, 157, 161, 188, 

344, 367. 
Clinton, Henry, 68. 
Clinton, Lady, the canal barge, 

425. 
Clinton, Major, 359. 
Clinton, Mr., 341, 405, 409, 416. 
Clinton, Mrs. DeWitt, 425. 
Coffin, Col., 262. 
Golden, Cadwallader D., 368, 

405. 
Colden, Col., 321. 
Colden, Gen., 487. 
Colden, Mr., 428. 
Coldwell, Mr. James, 158. 
Coles, Mr., 322. 
Collier, Col. James, 260. 
Collins, James, 93. 
Colonial History, 25, 58. 
Colombia, disembarkation at, 

445; description of, 440. 



Commerce steamboat, 425. 
Compromise, the Missouri, 

344. 
Comstock, Mr., 299. 
Confusion, political, .345. 
Congressional talk, .305. 308. 
Congress, members of, 368. 
Congress, representatives of 

New York in, 338. 
Conkling, 419. 
Conkling. Alfred, 368, 405, 421, 

422, 4^, 425; to Solomon 

Van Rensselaer, 402, 404. 
Conversation, thoughtless, 531. 
Cook, Captain, 332. 
Cook, Johnny, 300. 
Cook, Lieut. Job, 55. 
Cook, Mr., 252, 256. 
Cooper, Col., 414, 415, 418. 
Cooper, Col. J. T., 418. 
Cooper, Dr. Charles D., 169, 

170, 190. 
Cooper, Gen., 167. 
Cooper, Miss, 124. 
Cooper, Mrs., 167, 179. 
Cordova, Gen., 581. 
Cordova, the friend of liberty, 

523. 
Cornplanter, the Seneca chief, 

205. 
Cornwallis, Gen., 58. 
Cortlandt, Catharine V., 45. 
Countryman, a, on the plains 
Covof the south, 501. 
Covington, 110, 

iugton, Capt., 119. 
Covington, Lieut. L., 94. 
Cowards, conduct, a, 530. 
Cranmer, co-martyr, a pater- 
nal ancestor, 11 . 
Crawford, 378, 402, 409, 415, 

416. 
Crawford, Mr., 383. 
Crawford, William, 338. 
Crawford, William H., 368. 
Crittenden, J. J., 317. 
Cumberland Line, 130-150. 
Cuming, Dr. James, 75, 
Gushing, Thomas H., 155. 
Cushman, Joshua, 398, 399. 
Custis, Mr., 277. 
Custis, Mrs., 86. 
Custom house, 483. 
Customs, Spanish, 445. 
Cuyler, How., 225. 
Cuyler, James, 116, 117; to 

Capt. Van Rensselaer, 116. 
Cuyler, Major, 223, 232, 246; 

death of, 246, 247. 
Cuyler, Mr., 232. 
Cuyler, Mr. Henry, 108. 
Cuyler, Mr. Jacob, 42, 82. 
Cuyler, William Howe 247 ; to 
Colonel Van Rensselaer, 

232. 



Daniel Hale to Philip Van 
Rensselaer, 71. 

Davis, Dr., 487; to Solomon 
Van Rensselaer, 507. 

Davis, M.,400, 

Davis, Major, 487. 

Davis, Wm. M., 506. 

DeAleazer, Buenaventura, 450. 

Dearborn, 194, 214; to Gen. 
Van Rensselaer, 214. 

Dearborn, Gen., 200, 204, 205, 
206, 208, 209, 212 213, 214, 
215, 216, 224, 225, 231, 233, 
236, 239, 241, 244, 245, 251, 
272, 276, 280, 297, 308, 310, 
314, 319. 

DeCastro, Diego, 474, 479. 



Index. 



585 



Delau'li 



Decatur, Com . , 351 ; duel of, 
with Barron, 350, 351 ; 
death, 351. 

Defeated, 250. 

Defense of Gen. Harriaon, 
526-530. 

Deforest, Major, 333. 

DeGrafl', Gazcna, 73. 

DeGraff, Mr. Jesse, 74. 

DeKay, Commodore, 53-3, 524. 
laulaine, Joseph, 400 •, to 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, 
400. 

Dennis, Capt. J., 265; to Gen. 
Van Rensselaer, 265. 

Denniston, 379. 

Denniston, Garrit, 368. 

Denniston, Isaac, 168. 

Denniston, Mr. G. V., 345. 

Detroit, Mich., city of, 211, 4*J. 

Detroit, speech of the mayor 
of, 423. 

DeWitt, Gov., 154. 

DeWitt, Jacob H., 838, 360. 

DeWitt, Major R., 418. 

DeWitt, R. v., 486. 

DeWitt, Simeon, 170, 435, 486. 

Dexter, Samuel, 152, 153, 154, 
155; to William H. Van 
Rensselaer, 155. 

Diary, extracts from, 136, 140, 
141, 142. 

Dickenson, Julia, 504. 

Dickerson, Mr., 51. 

Dickinson, 370. 

Dickinson, John D., 338, 341, 
361, 368, 379, 386, 392, 393, 
897 ; to Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer, 392, 397. 

Dickson, Mr., 208. 

Dinner diplomatic, 505. 

Dinsmoor, Mr., 145. 

Ditches used for fences, 503. 

Dix, John A., 156; his famous 
order, 156. 

Dobl)ins, Col., 279. 

Dodge, Gen., 214. 

Doghcrty, Capt., 219. 

Dongan, Thomas, 5. 

Dougherty, W. W., 393. 

Douw, Cornelius, 57. 

Douw, Mr., 126. 

Douw, Mrs., 126. 

Douw, Petrus, Capt., 32. 

Douw, Volkert P., 57. 

Dow, Blisha, 381. 

Dox, Captain, 264, 265, 268, 269. 

Dox, Garret, 338. 

Duane, Col., 172. 

Dudley, Charles E., 363, .371, 
374, 379, :»4, 385, 406, 455 ; 
mayor of Albany, 374 ; to 
M. Van Buren, 384. 

Dudley, Mr., 341, .373, 381, :«2. 

Duel, a, proposed and frus- 
trated, 289-293; between 
Smyth and Porter, 284-385. 

Duer, Col. William, 78. 

Duer, William, 116. 

Duer, Wm. A., 357, 4.35. 

Duke, John, of Marlborough, 
128. 

Duncan, 110. 

Dunn, Geo. II., 94. 

Dwight, Col. Joseph, 18. 

Dyson, Capt., 2:53, 2:}4. 

Dyson, Samuel T., extract 
from letter of, 233. 



Earthquake, destructive, 477. 
Editor, Mr., 2a5. 
Egberts, Aunt, 54. 
Eights, Dr. James, 414, 418. 
BUicott, Capt., 351. 



Elliott, Benjamin, 268. 
Elliott, Col., 413; to Solomon 

Van Rensselaer, 412. 
Elliott, Lieut. Jesse D., 246, 

347. 
Elliott. Mr. Robert, 109, 370, 

382, 412. 
Elmondorf, Mrs., 146. 
Elmendorf, Peter, 116, 119. 
Elmciidorf, Peter E., 68. 
Elsie, 10. 

Elsworth, Lieut. Peter, 55. 
Ely, Isaac M., 366, 367. 
Emerson, Mrs., 24. 
Emmet, Mr., 165. 
Emmet, Thomas Addis, 166. 
England and France, war re- 
newed between, 19. 
Erie Canal, celebration, 424, 

429 ; opening of the, 406. 
Erwin, John, 33. 
European trip, 109-1.30. 
Eiistis, William, 258. 
Evens, Gen., 218. 
Evens, Major, 210, 250, 252, 

269. 
Bwing, Thomas, 420. 
Excursions in the country, 

449-454. 



Pairlie, James, 85. 

Fandango, the, 466. 

Fay, John, 338. 

Fayette, De La, 411, 413 ; Geu., 
413. 

Federalism, triumph of, 184. 

Fen wick. Col., 212, 214, 22.5, 
226, 227, 229, 331, 232, 235, 
2-18, 319, 250, 253, 257, 259. 
268, 275, 276, 288, 335. 

Fenwick, Col. Jno. R., .317; 
to Col. Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer, 317. 

Fenwick to Gen. Van Rensse- 
laer, 335. 

Ferris, Benj., 366, 367. 

Fever and ague. 505. 

Pish, Capt., 448. 

Fish, Col., 335. 

Fisk, Mr., 299. 

Pish, peculiar, 493. 

Fisher, Christopher, 66. 

Fishkil, 81. 

Flemming, Col., 203. 

Flores, President Gen., 441. 

Fonda, David, 83. 

Fonda, Jellis, Si. 

Fonda, Mrs., 119. 

Ford, Capt., 140, .333. 

Ford, Wm., 338. 

Ford, Wm. D., 352. 

Foreigners become rich, 474. 

Porman, Samuel S., 211. 

Forney, Col., 464. 

Fort Cliambly (illustrated), 46. 

Fort George, head quarters at, 
23.3. 

Fort Greenville, 110. 

Port Hamilton. 96. 

Fort Massac, 95. 

Fort Orange, 7; changed to 
Albany, 8. 

Fort Oswego, 145, 146; sur- 
render of, 146. 

Fort Washington, 110; merry 
making at, 138. 

Fort Wayne, 110. 

Fowler, Mr., 311, 345. 

Francis, Col., 60. 

Francis, Dr., 331. 

Franklin, Benjamin, 81, 403. 

Franks, Mr. Moses, 24. 

Frazer, Gen., 60, 65. 

Frederick, Col., 73. 



Freeman, 433. 

Freeman, Capt., 28. 

French Revolution, 161. 

Prothingham, Richard, 76 ; to 
Philip Van Rensselaer, 76. 

Fruit, tropical, 489. 

Fryer, Capt. John. .38. 

Fulton, Robert, 183. 

Funeral, a, iu Spanish Ame- 
rica, 467. 

Fusugazuga, the belles of, 613. 



Gage, General, 55. 

Gales a mischief maker, 306. 

Gansevoort, Col., 77, .311. 

Gansevoort, General, 81, 82, 
151 ; death of, 193 ; to 
Philip Van Rcnssolaer, 81. 

Gansevoort, John, 286. 

Gansevoort, Leonard jr., 10, 
11. 

Gansevoort, Lieut., 333, 25.3, 
254, 258, 263, 273. 

Gansevoort, Maria, 13:j, 129. 

Gansevoort, Peter, 46, 193, 338, 
305, 395, 396, 486. 

Gardenier, Mr. Barent, 187. 

Gates, Gen., 66, 67, 68, 77, 141, 
186. 

Gates, John, 334. 

Gebherd, John, 368. 

Geddes, Judge, 423. 

Gelston, David, 112. 

General Orders, 193, 225, 235, 
332. 

Genet, Citizen, makes a state- 
ment of his purposes, 163, 
164 ; unwarrantable con- 
duct of, 160 ; marries a 
daughter of Gov. Clinton, 
161 ; his political efforts, 95. 

Genet, Edmund C, 164, 166, 
171. 

Genet, Mr., 160, 161, 162, 174, 
175. 

Georgetown, D. C, 402. 

Gibson, Wood, Fenwick, .324. 

Giles, Gen., 321, »35. 

Gilston, David, 155. 

Glen, Capt. Alexander, 13, 15. 

Glen, Captain, 13, 14, 15. 

Glen, Catharine, Miss., 149. 

Glen, Col. Jacob, 13. 

Glen, Edward, 442, 446, 453, 
454. 456, 470, 476, 487, 498. 

Glen, Ilenry, 56. 

Glen, Jacob S., 433. 

Glen, John, 12, 75, 88, 440, 453, 
456,461, 462,465, 472,473, 
474, 477, 478. 

Glen, John jr., 12. 

Glen, Messrs., 4;W. 

Glen, Mr., 146, 460, 485. 

Glen. Mrs. Jacob S., 74, 463. 

Godwin, Capt., 46. 

Goffs. Col.,. 33. 

Gold, Thomas R., 170. 

Gooding, Mr., 516. 

Gorhaiu, 102. 

Gorman, Will, 98. 

Governeur, Mr., 82. 

Government, jealousy, 530-531. 

Gracey, Mr., 3.53. 

Gray, Gen., 135. 

Gray, Mr., 290. 

Green, Gen., 80. 

Greenville, letter from. 111. 

Gregory, Matthew, 327, .334, 
412. 

Gridleys, Mr. Isack, 28. 

(} roes beck, Ed., 333. 

Gross, Ezra C, 338. 

Grosvenor, ('apt. Scth., 183. 

Grosvenor, Thomas P., 316. 



536 



Index. 



Hackley, Aaron, 338. 

Haines, Chas. G.,355, 366, 367 ; 
to Solomon Van Rens- 
selaer, 354. 358, 364. 

Hale, Daniel, 55, 71, 156 ; issues 
commission to Solomon 
Van Rensselaer as A. G. 
of the state, 156. 

Hale, George, 221. 

Hall, A., 247; to Gen. Van 
Rensselaer, 246. 

Hall, Gen., 245, 246, 287, 291. 

Hall, Geo., 338. 

Hall, Major, 373. 

Hall, Major Gen., 242. 

Hamer, Lt., 46. 

Hamilton, 404. 

Hamilton, Alexander, 190 ; to 
secretary of war, 152 ; birth 
and descent of, 149. 

Hamilton. Col., 79, 153. 

Hamilton, Gen., 147, 148, 149, 
152, 153, 19.3, 412. 

Hamilton, Judge, 266. 

Hammond, Mr., 404. 

Hamtramnk, Col., 111. 

Hamtramck, Col. John F., 109, 
110. 

Hardin, Colonel, 95. 

Harmer, 422. 

Harmer, General, 111. 

Harrison, Carter, 455, 50.3, 525. 

Harrison, 110. 

Harrison, Gen., 220, 345, 310, 
416. 438, 439, 445, 453, 454, 
461, 463, 464, 472, 475, 498, 
500, 501, 503, 504, 506. 507, 
508, 510, 512, 515, 516, 517, 
520, 521, 524, 525, 526, 527, 
528, 530. 

Harrison, Gen. William H., 91, 
101, 437, 470; to Solomon 
Van Rensselaer, 436 ; ap- 
pointed minister to Co- 
lombia, 437; news of his 
removal, 499; accused of 
corresponding with the 
rebels, 525. 

Harrison, Lt., 46. 

Hart, Herman V., 486. 

Hart, Col. John, 21. 

Haskill, Major, 119. 

Hattie, 1 ; request of, for a 
chronicle of Aunt Cuy's 
life experiences, 1. 

Hawkins, Col., 145,316. 

Hawks, 375. 

Hawks, James, 368, 389. 

Haxton, Gov., 158. 

Hayley, 36. 

Hazard. Adjutant, 418. 

Hempstead, Isaac, 327. 

Henderson, Col., 373. 

Henderson, Consul, 504, 505, 
522, 631. 

Henderson, Gen., 530. 

Henderson, James, 524, 531, 
532. 

Henderson, Miss Fanny, 531. 

Henderson, reprimanded, 505. 

Hendrick, 10, 19, 27. 

Hendrick, General, 58. 

Hendrick, King, 25. 

Hendrickson, Oapt., 418. 

Henry, James M., 125. 

Henry, John V., 85, 158. 

Henry, Major Seaton P., 418. 

Henry, William M., 29. 

Herkimer, Gen., 69, 70, 72. 

Herrau. Gen., 523, 524. 

Hewett, Lieut., 288. 

He wit, Lieut., 219. 

Hews, Major, 109. 

Heyden, V. D.,373. 

Heyward, Dr., 103. 



Hill, Capt. Thomas, 19. 

Hill, Schuyler, 335. 

Hobart, Bishop, 335. 

Hodgdon, Samuel to Capt. 
Van Rensselaer, 147. 

Hoffman, Gen., 487. 

Hoffman, Mr. Martin, 146. 

Hogeboom, John C, 188. 

Hogs, a glimpse at wild, 481. 

Hole, a fearful, 511. 

Holland, news from, 119, 120. 

Holmes, Capt., 75. 

Homestead at Cherry Hill, 131. 

Hone, Gen., 487. 

Honeywood, Mr., 200. 

Hopkins, Mr., 299. 

Horses, sure footed, 509. 

Hosack, Dr., 331. 

Houdin, Mr., 120. 

Houghtaling, Wm. D., 393. 

Howe, Gen., 1,35. 

Howe, Judge, 369. 374. 381. 

Howell, 352. 

Hubbard, Thomas, 23, 28, .30. 

Hubbard, Thomas H., 368, 375, 
389. 

Hudson, Henry, 6 ; expedition 
to Albany, by, 6 ; turued 
adrift on the ocean, 7. 

Hughs, W., 68. 

Hugonin, Lieut., 263. 

Hull, iCapt. Wm., 57, 58, 229, 
277. 

Hull, Gen. William, 58, 203, 
204, 205, 206, 208, 210, 211, 
212, 213, 214, 215, 217, 219, 
221, 222, 223, 224, 231, 234, 
252, 296, 297, 313. 314, 423 ; 
surrender of, 215 ; sen- 
tenced to be shot, 314, 
317 ; pardoned by Pres. 
Madison, 314. 

Humphrey, Chauncey, 455. 

Humphrey, Major, 412, 413. 

Humphrey, Mr., 26. 

Hun, Abraham, 129. 

Hunt, A., 96. 

Hunt, Mr.. 9.3, 102. 

Hunting, 459; scene, when, 
and unexpected game, 492. 

Huntingdon, 211. 

Huntington, Gen., 305, 315. 

Huntington, Mr., 227. 

Hutchinson, Gov., 38, 39. 

Hutton, Mr., 178. 



Incidents and events of the 
revolution, 77-78. 

Indians, the, warfare, and bar- 
barities of, 262 ; Catholic 
priest escapes from, 13 ; 
trade and manufactures of, 
482 : long knives, 101. 

Inglis, Mrs., 504, 505. 

Intrepidity, conspicuous, 263. 

Ish, 3, 4. 

Isha, 3, 4. 



Jackson, 409, 411, 415, 464, 526. 
Jackson, Andrew, 362, 463; 

anecdote of, 463 ; election 

of, for pres. U. S., 403. 
Jackson, General, 40, 410, 416, 

431, 470. 
Jackson, Major, 86. 
Jackson, Minister, 302. 
Jackson, President, 485. 
Jacobs, Capt., 261, 262. 
James, William, 1G7, 181, 486. 
Jay, Gov., 148, 154, 15,5, 188, 

3(ir; to secretary of war, 

154. 



Jay, John, 52, 81, 105, 108, 156 ; 

as a successful negotiator, 

105 ; elected governor of 

New York, 105. 
Jefferson, Mr., 384. 
Jefferson, President, 192. 
Jenkins, 182, 300. 
Jeffreys, George, 21. 
Jenkins, Capt. Ira, 326. 
Jenkins, Colonel, 413. 
Jenkins, Elisha, 162. 165, 169. 
Jenkins, Mr., 173, 174, 175, 176, 

189, 190. 
Jenkins, Mrs. Elisha, 168. 
Jenkins, Robert, 518. 
Jennings, Capt., 224. 
Jeremias, 10. 
Joans, John, 68. 
Johannes, 14. 
Johnson, 27, 223. 
Johnson, Col., 341, 380, 397, 

402, 410. 
Johnson, Col. John, 74. 
Johnson, Gen., 19, 27. 
Johnson, John, 71, 72. 
Johnson, John B., 152. 
Johnson, Mr. John, 83. 
Johnson, Richard M., 409. 
Johnson, Robert, 382. 
Johnson, Sir John, 15, 41 ; 

marches up the Mohawk 

valley, 83. 
Johnson, Sir William, 8, 23, 

24, 25, 27, 29, 327. 
Joiney, Corporal, 141. 
Jones, Capt., 111. 
Jones, Capt. Daniel, 82. 
Jones, Colonel, 419. 
Jones, David, 65. 
Jones, Gen., 487. 
Josiah, Capt., 75. 
Journey by boat, 477. 
Joy, Arad, 269. 
Judson, Capt., 326, 333. 
Juliet, M., 445. 



Kane, M., 119, 126. 

Kane, Mr. James, 170. 

Kane, Mrs., 119, 126. 

Kearney, Lieut., 263, 273. 

Keen, Capt., 28. 

Keller, Gen., 2.30. 

Kelly, Mr., 445. 

Kent, James, 337, 367, 368. 

Kidd, Capt., 6. 

Kilian, 10. 

King, 372, 378. 

King, A., 357. 

King, Charles, .321. 

King, Mr.. 301,345, 373, 375, 
380, 395, 397. 

King, Mr. Rufus, 165, 166, 268, 
321, 328, 338, 341, 381, 387, 
&88, 389, 392 ; an oracle of 
democracy, 301 ; to Solo- 
mon Van Rensselaer, 328. 

Kinsella, 445. 

Kingston, Col., 65. 

Kirkland, Joseph, 368. 

Kirkland, Lieut. P. H. Van 
Valkenburgh, 418. 

Knickerbocker, Col., 332, 334. 

Knickerbocker, Diedrich, 3. 

Knickerbocker, Herman, 191, 
300, 33.3, 433. 

Knower, Benj., 368. 

Knower, Mr., 374, 376, 385. 

Knowlton, Lieut. Col., 418. 

Knox, Gen., 68, 76, 80, 91, 92, 
93 ; to Capt. Rodgers, 92 ; 
Henry to Solomon Van 
Rensselaer, 91. 

Knoxville, 140, 144. 

Kortright, Miss, 353. 



Index. 



587 



ha IJatte, Monsieur, 415. 

Lacy, J{ov. Mr., •i:!t. 

La Knyoltc, (Jcncnil, 271, 117, 

US, 'Hit: Manjiiis de, virtit. 

to the Uiiilcd Slates, ■111, 

41.5; travels tlininy;!! the 

states, 417 ; escorted to 

Albany, 414: escort to, 

orders couceriiins;, 417 ; de- 

parlure oC, 418, 41!). 
La finmiie, Lieut. Colonel, 3.'33. 
Laidlie, Mins, 1 Hi. 
Lamb, OoIoiicIJolin, 42. 
Jjaudinarks, auci(Mit, 9. 
Lane, Colonel, 333. 
Lansiug, 371. 
Lansinj^, Abraham A., 10. 
Lansintj, Abrah.ini G., .S3, 4,SG. 
Laiisini^, Abraham Jacobs, 28. 
Lansinif, Captain, 334. 
Lansinii', Capt. Ten Eyck, 333. 
Lansing, Chancellor, 372, 375, 

377, :«0. 
Lansing, G. Y., 48(1. 
Lansing, J. jr., 02. 
Lansing, John, 327, 390, 3i)G. 
Lansing, Major S., 1.57. 
Lansing, Sanders, 85. 
Lansing, the Misses, 518. 
La 'f ravasea. 481. 
Lawrence, Captain, 255, 2(i0. 
Lawyer, John, 18. 
Layman, Messrs., 349. 
Leaders, distrusted, 2S4. 
Lebanon Springs, 418. 
Lee, General, 58. 
Lee, Mr., 78. 
Lee, W. A., 95, 98. 
Legacy, the, why bequeathed, 

1. 
Leidersdorf, 526. 
Leonard, Captain, 200, 227, 232, 

235, 253, 209, 270 ; to Gen. 

Van Rensselaer, 270. 
Lerano, Israel, 08. 
Leroy, Jacob, 112, 366, 367. 
Letter, otticial, 2.56. 
Letters from Gen. Harrison, 

498. 
Letters from home, 461. 
Letters, old, throw a Hood of 

light, 381. 
Lewis, 110. 
Lewis, Andrew, 130. 
Lewis, Col. Charles, 136. 
Lewis, General, 231, 310, 319, 

.328, 339 ; to Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer, 328. 
Lewis. Governor, 08, 157, 158, 

162, 171, 187, 280, .367, 471. 
Lewis, Morgan, 170, 185, 1S6, 

412 ; to Solomon Van 

Rensselaer, 185, 186, 187, 

339. 
Lewis, Samuel, 3;34 . 
Lewis, Thomas, 109. 
Lewiston, 211, 213, 215, 219. 

220, 224, 225, 228, 229; 

gloomy state of aftairs at, 

231. 
Lexington, Kentucky, 1.38. 
Liberty and equality, 160. 
Libre, Antonio, 473. 
Liugen. General, 282. 
Litchfield, Elijah, :W8, 389. 
Little Turtle the Miami Chief, 

103. 
Liviugston, 8, .53, 371, 373, .381. 
Livingston, Chancellor, 411. 
Livingston, Col. Uarry, 331, 

413. 
Livingston, Col. Lewis, HSO. 
Livingston, Colonel, 70, 290, 

.331,334. 
Liviugston, Dr. John U , 112. 



Livingston, Kdward, 8(i, 48.5, 
48(). 

I..ivingst(>n, (ieneral, 352. 

Liviugston, James, 43, 44. 

Livingst(ni, John R., 271. 

Livingston, John VV., 295. 

Livingston, Judge, 159. 

Livingston, Mr., 51, 375, 370, 
46,3, 470, 471. 

Livingston, Mr. Walter, 50, 57. 

Livingston, Philip, 40. 

Livingston, Robert L., 413. 

Lockwood. Mr., 49. 

Long, (Colonel, 60,01,62. 

Lott, Abraham P., 52, 51. 

Lott, Mrs., 34. 

Lovell, Capt., 139. 

Lovell, Mr., 124. 

Lovelt. John, 196, 197, 199,200, 
203. 207, 209, 219, 221, 229, 
2;W, 243, 268,209, 271,272, 
274, 276, 280, 2S1, 283, 293, 
298, 300, .301, 302, 303, .305, 
314, 315, 316, 319, 323, 325. 
335, 3:i6 ; to Abraham Van 
Vechten, 229; to Joseph 
Alexander, 190, 190, 201, 
, 203, 205, 218, 228, 230, 242, 
243, 200, 273, 275, 278,303; 
to Solomon Southwick, 
293 ; to Sol Van Rens- 
selaer, 305. 314, 315, 31(), 
319, 323, 325; to A. Van 
Vechten, 271 ; locates at 
Fort Meigs, 3;JG ; loses his 
hearing, 252 ; his battery, 
2.52 ; elected to Congress, 
283 ; portrait of, 324 ; death 
of, 330. 

Lovett, Major, 201, 205, 220, 
228, 230, 242, 255, 2.56, 206, 
273, 275, 278, 291, 292. 

Lovett, Mr., 19.5, 217, 248, 252, 
294, 295, 297, 308. 

Lovett, Mrs., 2;J7. 

Lovewell, Col., 29, 31. 

Lovewell, Col. Zecheus, 28. 

Lowder, Mr., 136. 

Lowrie, 402. 

Ludlow, Messrs., 55. 

Ludlow, Mr., 39. 

Ludlow, Mrs., 126. 

Ludlow, Rev. Dr., 4.36. 

Ludlow, Wm. H., 10. 

Lush, Major, 255, 258, 163, 273, 
286. 

Lush, Stephen, 260, 268, 327, 
ai4. 413. 

Lush, William, 243. 

Lust, Col., 151. 

Lyman, General, 19, 27. 

Lyman, Joseph S., 3;W. 



Macconnel, Jas., 98. 

Mackea, Capt. Wm., 130; to 
Capt. Van. Rensselaer,130. 

Macomb, Robert, 295 ; to Solo- 
mon Southwick. 295. 

Macon, 410. 

MacPherson, J., 510. 

MacPherson, R. IL, 193. 

McAithur, Col., 222. 

McCarty, Richard, 308, :«9. 

MeChesney, Cajjt.. 273. 

McClallen, John, 151. 

McClean, John, 42. 

McClelland, Capt., 332. 

McClure, Gen.. 4.0. 

McComb, Mr. John, 2iHi. 

McCrea, Jane. 65. 

McDonald, Co!.. 252, 267, 274. 

McDonald, John. 37. 

McDouell, Col., 218, 271, 273. 

McElroy, Sam., 203. 



Mclivcrs. Miss Mary, 86. 

McGoa, Mr. Williaiii, 51. 

McHenry, James, 125. 132, 147, 
148, 1.53; to Capt. Van 
Rensselaer, 132, 147. 

McKenney, 110. 

McKesson, John, 41, 57. 

McKinslry, Capt. John, .53. 

McKown, James, 311, 351, .352, 
.370,379, 381,415; to Solo- 
mon Van Rensselaer, 351, 
370. 

McLean, John, 108, 4.30, 431, 
470, 471 ; to Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer, '130, 431, 470. 

McNaiighten. Dr. James, 
serious accident to, 519. 

McPherson, 446. 

McPherson, Captain, 48. 

Madison, 416. 

Madison, James, 301 . 

Madison, Mr., 231, 294, 297, 300. 
314. 

Madison, Mrs., ;M7. 

Madison, President, 193. 

Magdalena, expenses of boat- 
ing on the, 488. 

Mahar, 455. 

Malcolm, Captain. 258, 2(i3. 

Mallay, James, 209. 

Man, Isaac, 52. 

Mapes, Jonas, 300, 307. 

Marching orders, 132. 

Marcy, Major, 33;J. 

Marcy, Wm. L., .367. 

Marlborough, Duke of, 128 ; 
his magniUceut i)ark, 128. 

Marquee, General, 237. 

Marriage, 131 ; an extr.aordi- 
nary,84. 

Marshall, John, .368. 

Marshall, Mr., 150 ; speech of, 
1.51. 

Martin, Mr., 82. 

Martinez, Colonel, 503, 504. 

Mason, Rev. Dr., 335. 

Masters, P., 352. 

Maumee, battle of, 102. 

Mead, Mr., 333. 

Mediums of commerce with 
the Indians^ 9. 

Meeting, republican, 394 ; fede- 
ral, 39(i. 

Meigs, Henry, 338. 

Meigs, J., 349, 36S, 371. 

Meigs, Mr., 370, 380. :«;}, 394. 

Meigs, Return J., 378, 379, ;iSH, 
389, :JS)0, 392; narrow 
escapeof, 379, 380; to vice 
president and M. Van 
Buren, 392. 

Meigs, R. J., jr., order from, 
appointing postmaster at 
Albany, 379. 

Mercer, 402. 

Merchant, George, 165. 

Military, movements of, 186, 
194 ; orders and letters of, 
19, 24. 

Militia, cowardice of, 255, 256. 

Miller, (Jeneral, 279. 

Miller. Morris S., 315,3.50, .359. 

Miller, Mrs. Catharine, 89. 

Miller, Mrs. Marv R., 158. 

Miller, Peter, 34." 

.Mills, Captain, 92. 

Minturn, Benj. G., 366, ;J67. 

.Miranda, .52:3, 527. 

Missouri, admission of, as a 
state, 365 ; compromise, 
304 ; constitution, 354, 356, 
3fiO. 

Misunderstanding between 
Henderson and Col. Camp- 
bell, 504. 



68 



;.38 



L\DEX. 



:>ritchell, Lieut. Colonel, 325. 

Mitchill, Doctor, 438. 

Milchill, Samuel L., :K;-i. 

Molmwks Indians, and their 
Customs, 12. 

Mompox, description of, i&i. 

Monroe, James, 26S, 338, ^9, 
416. 

Monroe, Mr., 383, 385. 

Monroe, President. 352, Stil, 
381, 40() ; administration 
of, 381 . 

Montcalm, General, 14(i 

Montgomery, Captain, 03, 64. 

Montgomery, General. 43, 44, 
46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 140, 193, 
332, 333, 335, 414 ; his re- 
mains removed from Que- 
bec, 330 ; honors paid to 
remains of, 332, 335. 

Montgomery, Mrs. Richard, 
413. 

Montgomery, Richard, 323, 
aiO, 331, 334,335: honors, 
321. 

Moutibello, Duke of, 503, 508, 
510. 

Moutillo, General, 445, 457, 
477, 516. 

Moonuy, Captain, 63, 65. 

Moore, Colonel, 525, 526, 527 ; 
presentation of, 524. 

Moore, General, 345. 

Moore, Major, 506. 

Moore, Major Thomas P., 
522, 523, .524. 

Moore, Minister Thomas P., 
arrival of, 520, 522. 

Moore, Mr., 470, 471, 487, 520, 
521, 524, 530. 

Moore, Thomas, 235. 

Morgan, 375, 379. 

Morgan, Colnnel, 66. 

Morgan, John J., 368. 

Morgan, Major, 195. 

Morrell, Robert, 338. 

Morrison, Major, 253, 250, 279. 

Morrow, Jeremiah, 419, 420. 

Morton, General, 332, 487 

Mosely, Major, 272, 293. 

Mountainous regions, 511. 

Mount Hope, sold, 132; the 
larm of, prospectively In 
the moon, .^24. 

Mount Vernon, 147. 

Mower, J. B., 409, 410; to 
Solomon Van Rensselaer, 
409. 

Muhlenberg, Gen., 86. 

Mullany, J. R., 250; to Gen. 
Van Rensselaer, 250. 

Mullany, Major, 253, 257, 263, 
268. 

Myers, Capt,. 195. 

Myers Col., 209, 210, 237. 

Myers, Major, 211. 



Naples and Mount Vesuvius, 
account of, 316, 347, 348, 
349. 

Newman, Col., 325. 

New York, defense of, 320; 
otlicors of government of, 
338, 368 ; church record, 
marriage notice, in, 10. 

Nicholas, 10, 49. 

Nicholas, St., 4,5, 6 ; day of. 4. 

Nicholson, Mr. Richard R., 
483, 518. 

Nicoll, Mr. Harry. 79. 

Noon, Capt. Darby, 2C6, 297; 
an energetic officer, 297. 

North, Giai., 335. 

Norton, Mr., 418. 



Nott, Mr., 152. 
Nugent, Miss., 126. 



Oakley, Gen., 487. 

Oakley, Mr., 299. 

Oakley, Thomas, 356. 

Oakley. Thomas J., 3:38. 

Obando, Col., 523, 531. 

Officers, proposed council of, 
242. 

Ogden. Capt., 4S. 

Ogden, Mr. Hen rv, 437. 

Ogdensbiirgh, 20i. 

Ogilvie, Capt., 263, 273. 

O'Leary, Gen., 525, 528, 530. 

Olmstead, C.ipt., 326. 

Oothout, Abraham, 88. 

Oothout, Henry, 50. 

Oothout, Mr., ;«. 

Order appoinung Solomon 
Van Rensselaer, major 
general of militia, 330. 

Ormsby, 0.,98. 

Orton, Joseph, 432. 

Osboru, Capt., 418. 

Otis, 402. 



Pacific ocean, voyage across, 
442. 

Padilla, Gen.. 446. 

Parish, Mr., 202, 298. 

Parker, Col., 276. 

Parker, Mr., .396, 404. 

Parker, Philip S., .SJn, .395, 486, 

Patroon, the, lo Solomon V^an 
Rensselaer, 341, 350, 3,55, 
372, 400, 402, 408, 409, 410, 
415. 

Patterson, Walter, .368, 370, 
387, 397 ; to Solomon Van 
Rensselaer, 387, 397. 

Paulding, Col., 333. 

Pearson, 375. 

Peck, Harmanus, 338. 

Peck, Judge, 257, 267. 

Pierson, Jer. H., :WJ. 

Pell, Col. Ferris, 331, 358, 359, 
362, 374 ; to Solomon Van 
Rensselaer, 359. 

Penon, Bajo, 480. 

Pepper, Calvin, 432. 

Percy, Earl, 270. 

Perry, O. H.,3.30. 

Peters, Capt., .54. 

Phelu, Miss, 54. 

Philadelphui, 147. 

Philip, 10. 

Philology, ignorance of, 18. 

Pickens, Gen., 145 ; marriage 
of, 145. 

Pickering, Timothy, 80, 81, 95, 
117, 120, 125; secretary of 
war, 117, 120. 

Pickett, Mr., 520, 522, 523. 

Pierson, Jeremiah H., .368 . 

Pinckuey, General, 147, 148. 

Pinckney, Thomas, 307 ; invit- 
ation from, 147. 

Piper, Colonel, 302. 

Piracy, 415. 

Pirates, preparations to meet, 
442. 

Pitcher, Nathaniel, 338, 368, 
389. 

Pittsficid, 418. 

Piatt, Colonel, 411. 

Piatt, General, 196. 

Piatt, Jonas. 337, 3(i8. 

Pleasants, Lieut. Isaac, 119. 

Political dishonesty, 307; 
meetings of federalists and 
democrats, 163-166; sur- 
mises, 158, 159. 



Pollard, \Vm., 76, 80, 82; to 
Philip Van Rensselaer, 80. 

Porter, Agustus, 314. 

Porter, General, 205, 213, 222, 
2S0, 2;31, 232, 279, 284, 285, 
290, 291, 292, 295, 405. 

Porter, Judge, 204. 

Porter, Mr. Augustus B., 317. 

Porter, Peter B., 208, 215, 223, 
227, 231, 244, 287, 288, 289, 
296, 410, 430 ; assaults John 
Lovett, 296, 297. 

Posada, Governor, 498. 

Posev, General, 255. 

Posey, John, 96, 98, 112. 

Posey, John Cornet, 112. 

Posey, Lieut. John, 111 ; to 
Capt. Van Rensselaer, 111. 

Post, Dr., 331, 403. 

Postmaster general, letter to, 
380; rascally, 3.52, 357. 

Potomac, the enemy's fleet 
coming up, 305. 

Preparations lor a skirmish, 
526. 

Prescott, General, 48. 

President U. S., petition to, 
389. 

Preston, Capt., 38. 

Preston, General, 48. 

Preston, Major, 47. 

Prevost, General, 317. 

Prevost, GeorL'e, 320. 

Price, Capt., 46, 119. 

Price, Gen., 50. 

Price, Major, 101. 

Prideaux, Gen., 29. 

Prior, 110. 

Prisoners, agreement to ex- 
change, 269 ; of war, pro- 
posals to relieve, 264. 

Proceedings, hasty sketch of, 
299. 

Proclamation by Gov. Clinton, 
386. 

Productions, tropical, 510. 

Proposals, military, ^4, -^15. 

Provost, Geo., 211, 214. 

PuntaGorda, 480. 

Putman, Capt. Garret, 74. 

Putnam, Victor, 74. 



Quackenboss, Major, 81. 

Quackenbush, Nicholas, 80. 

Quartermaster's book,abstract 
from, 94. 

Queenstowu, the hero of 147 ; 
interesting account of at- 
tack on, 2-19, 260 ; heights 
of, interesting account of 
military operations at, 266, 
268. 

Quincy, Josiah, 38. 

Quincy, Mr., 302. 



Randolph, John, 186. 

Randolph, Lieutenant, 258, 
263, 273, 286, 287. 

Randolph, Mr., mO. 

liathboue, Lieut., 253, 2.54, 258, 
263; mortally wounded, 
25:3. 

Ray, Cornelius, 70, 52 ; to Phi- 
lip Van Rensselaer, 75, 76 ; 
fears the ship Luzerne is 
taken by the enemy, 76 ; 
shipment of tea, 76; for- 
wards liills per ship, 75. 

Ray, Mr., ;39, 112, ;321. 

Ray, Richard, 20, 26, 34. 

Ray, Robert, 31, 40, 41, 52 ; to 
Philip Van Rensselaer, 40, 
51. 



Index. 



539 



Receipts I'or military supplies, 
!)4, il.-). !)(), OS. 

Kocreations in old times, 85. 

Roed, Capt., 125. 

Koed, Colonel, 79, 3'i5, 'll!». 

K«tuni to Albany, 281. 

Reynolds, Joshua, 344.' 

Richard, Ool., 37!). 

Richmond, Jonathan, ;}38. 

Rides aniont; the hills, 517, 518. 

Riedesel, Gen., (iO. 

River, preparations to cross, 
343. 

Rojuls, dan<,'eron9, 408. 

Robbers attackin<,' mail boats, 
51(i. 

Robert, 25. 

Robinson, J., 283. 

Robinson, Josiah, 284. 

Robinson, to Col. Van Rens- 
selaer 28.3 

Rochester, Vviii. B., 3(18, 377, 
.378, .380 ; to Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer, 377. 

Rochlontaine, Colonel, 124. 

Rodifers, Capt. Jedediah, 02, 
03, 94. 

Rodgers, Com., .351. 

l{od;,'ers, Dr., 331. 

Rodajers, Mr., 178. 

Roelofl'esen, Catharine, 10. 

]{omain, as speaker, 373. 

Root, 410. 

Root, Erastus, 35C. 

Root, Mr., famous mathemati- 
cal speech of, 356. 

Rose, Gen., 284. 

Rosecrantz, George, 311. 

Ross, Major Gen., 310. 

Ross, Thomas R., 372. 

Ross, William, 311. 

Route, interesting, 133, 131, 
135. 

Rowland, Alderman T., 424. 

Rnggles, Chas. S., 368. 

Rush, 410 

Rutgers, Anthony, 112. 

Ry«kman, Wilhelmus, 334. 



Saije, Ebenezer, .338. 

Sailors, impressing into Bri- 
tish service, 123. 

Salstonstall, Col., .33, 3-1. 

Sammons, 203, 263. 

Sanders, Barcsnt, 20, 103. 

Sanders, Catharine, 15. 

Sanders, Elsie, 12, 20. 

Sanders family, reside in Hol- 
land, 12; moved to Ame- 
rica, 12 ; bought laud in 
Glenville, 12. 

Sanders, Gen. Lyman, 27. 

Sanders, Godfrey Smith, 34. 

Sanders, Johannes, 12. 

Sanders, John, 11, 15, 51, 79, 83. 

Sanders, Lieut., 17. 

Sanders, Margarotta, 10, 11 . 

Sanders, Maria, 10, 11, 37, 130. 

Sanders, Miss, 146. 

Sanders, Moses Emerson, 24. 

Sanders, Mr., 15. 98. 

Sanders, Mrs., 15, 35. 

Sanders, Rev. Lawrence, 11, 
1.5. 

Sanders, Robert, 11, 16, 17, 18, 
19, 24, 25, 26, 27, 2.S, 29, 30, 
31, 34: birth of, 17; mar- 
riage of, 17 ; a member of 
the Albany convent on, 
17 ; pays curious items, 17 ; 
lo Richard Wibird, 21, 32, 
.33; to Sir William John- 
sou, 23, 24, .36 ; to Cham- 
pion & Hayley, 36. 



Sanders, Robert, to New 
Hampshire commission- 
ers, 28; to Peter Miller, 
31: to Sir Thomas Hub- 
bard, 28, 30, 33 ; to Abra- 
ham J. Lansing. 35; lo 
(;ol. Jacob Wenclcll. 26. 27, 
28; to John M. Wendell, 
35 ; death of, m. 

Sanford, Mr., 119. 

Sanford, Nathan, 101, 338. 

Sangerfield, Oneida Co., 401. 

Santander, Gen.. 4-14. 

Savage, John, 368. 

Saxc% Marshall, 263. 

Schenectady, destruction of, 
13, 15. 

Scherraerhorn, 179. 

Schermerhorn, Henry V. R/, 
386, 387 ; to Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer, 386. 

Schermcn-horn, Mr., 167. 183. 

Schuyler, .\riaantie, i;j, ,58, 78. 

Schuyler, Coloilel, 14; 426. 

Schuyler, Cornelia, 121. 

Schuyler, Elizabeth, 17, 37. 

Schuyler, Gen., 43, 41, .53, .54, 
5.5, 56, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 69, 
74, 75, 77, 82, 115, 116, 127, 
148, 151; to I'hilip Van 
RensseL-ier, 40 ; a runaway 
marriage in family of, 116. 

Schuyler, John, 17. 

Schuyler, Mr., 369. 

Schuyler, old family records, 
37. 

Schuyler, Peter, 17, 23, 26, 35, 
37. 

Schuyler, Philip, 17, 37, 59, 87, 
157 ; to secretary of war, 
148 ; death of, 157 ; funeral 
honors, 158. 

Schuyler, Retiben, 2;!5. 

Schuyler, S., 6(>. 

Scotia mansion, the old, 15. 

Scott, Col., 261, 262, 263, 270 ; 
takes cliaige of troops, 261. 

Scott, Dr., 103. 

Scott, General, 111, 363. 

Scott, Winlield, 260. 

Sea voyage, 112. 

Secretary of war to Capt. Van 
Rensselaer, 117, 120; to 
Sol. Van Rensselaer, 125. 

Seley, Mr. M., 420. 

Sentences, the art of dividing 
little understood, 16. 

Sergeant, Mr., :i'M. 

Sel'h, Col., 60. 

Severs, Mr., 458. 

Sharks, Capt., 1 13. 

Shaw, Henry, 335. 

Shaw, John, ;»!. 

Shaw & Ludlow, Messrs., 55. 

Shaw, N., 98. 

Shaw, William, 143. 

Shaws, Mr., :i'.). 

Sheaffe, Gen.. 209, 210, 213, 
21 1, 21.5. 219, 226, 2.5t;, 2.58, 
261, 262, 263. 261, 265, 268, 
269, 2TU, 271, 271, 2,80, 2,S8 ; 
to Gen, Van Rensselaer, 
261, 265. 

Shealle, MaiLMret, 271. 

SheatVe, R. H., to (ieii. Van 
Rensselaer, 269, 270. 

Sheldon, William, 71. 

Shepherd, Mc<sis.. ;«l. 

Sherbrookt!, John, 33it. 

Sherburne, Henry. 29. 

Shelileworth, Lieut.. 46. 

Shingletou, Lieut., 09. 

Sibley, .Iu(lg<', 421. 

Sibley, Solomon, 422. 

Sim, "Lieut., 249. 



Simmons, Mr.. 102. 

Simmons, William. 190, 191. 

Skinner, Judge. 373, 376. 

Slingerlandt, W., 80. 

Sloop of War Natchez, 594. 

Slough, 110. 

Smith, 110, 352, .368.378. 

Smith, Capt., 11.3. 

Smith, Col., 146. 

Smith, Gen. Alexander, 2;i9, 

210. 
Smith, Gen. Samuel. 310. 
Smith, Lieut., 224, 273. 
Smith, Maj(n-, :iH. 
Smith, Mr., 115. 
Smyth, Alexander. 275. 
Smyth, Gen., 2;?9, 240, 241, 
242, 2^15, 216, 217, 248, 252, 
273, 276, 277, 276, 279; 28;!, 
284, 285, 305, 339, 360: to 
Gen. Van IJensselaer, 2.39; 
is rebuked, 240. 212; his 
j>reteniled attack on Ca- 
nada, 281, 285. 
Snelling, Col. J., 421. 
Snow ball, 489. 
Soldier, an old deaf, .302. 
Song, a new, 277. 
South Americii, interesting 

letters from, 4:56-5.32. 
South wick, 370, 375, 379, 387; 

aflairs of, 370. 
Southwick, Mr., .372, 376, .389, 

394. 
Southwick, Sojoraon, 293, 295, 
296, 373, 378, 380, 381 ; in 
Washington, 387. 
Si)encer, 306, 375, 379. 
Spencer, Ambrose, 188, 337, 
344, 367, 368, 412, 418; to 
Solomon Van Rtmsselaer, 
344. 
Spencer, Capt., 417, 418. 
Spencer, Elijah, 368. 
Spencer, John C, 175, 231, 
•3-10 ; speaker in the assem- 
bly, 340. 
Spencer, Judge, :i44, 357, 425, 

471, 472. 
Spencer, Mr., 20. 
Spicy discussion in congress 
relative to the Canada 
camiiaign, SQO. 
St. Clair, Gen., 59, 60, 05, 69, SO, 

96, 97, 135, 422. 
St. Martha and the country 

around, 4.56. 
St. Nicholas Day, festival of, 4 ; 
toasts and speeches at, 5, 6. 
St. Regis, an Indian village,.302. 
Staats, Al)raliam, 8. 
Staats, Col. Nicholas, 162, 163, 

471. 
Staats, Dr., 4.55. 
Steamboat, the first, 183. 
Stearns, Dr., 248. 
Steele, Miss, 176. 
Stephen, Colonel, 66. 
Sterling, Lord, 78 
Sterling, Micah, 368. 
Sterry," Peter. 18(). 
Stevenson, Mr., :i<>{), 519. 
Stewart, Gilbert, 20;j. 
Stillwell, 455 : artillery of, 326. 
Stillwell, John. .381. 
Slopfoi-d, Major, 46. 
Storm, Mr. Tlrnuus, 122. 
Storrs, .338, .361. 
Slons. Heiirv R.. 415. 
Story, a thrilling, .529. 
Siraiiahan, Colonel, 2.56. 
Strang, Jesse, 4:12, 434, 4:J5 ; 
arre.sled and (■xeciited for 
the iniirtler of Whipple, 
4.32, 4.35. 



40 



Im>ex. 



street, Kaiirlcll S., aSS. 
Strife, bcKiiiiiii'i,' "' the, 531. 
Strong, Elisliii 15., ;341. 
Strong, James, tim, 361. 
Strothers, 402. 
Stuart, J. B., 415, 410 ; to Sol. 

Van Rensselaer, 415. 
Sullivan, Capt., 119. 
Summary process, 525. 
Sunday sports in Bogota, 507. 
Surveillance, tender, l.'iO. 
Suspicions and fears, 52S. 
Sutherland, Mr., 371. 
Swan, Mr., 22(). 
Swarthout, B. Mr. 
Swarts, Dick, 54. 
Switt, Colonel, 211», 388. 
Swifts, George, 31!>. 
S Witts, Col , 224. 
Svvintou, Isaac, 8. 
Sword, a presentation that 

was not, 325. 
Symon, 14. 
Symouds, Mr , 37'J. 



Talmadge, Gen., 328. 
Taunehlll, Gen., 302. 
Tayler, 182, 39(i, 415. 
Tayler, Goveniov, 107, 414, 470. 
Tayler, John, 10(5, 108, 180, 338, 

394; to the public, 107; to 

Sol. Van Rensselaer, 107. 
Tayler, Judge, 109, 178, 180. 
Tayloe, Capt., 111. 
Tayloe, Col., 148. 
Tayloe, John, 147. 
Tayloe, Mr., 504, 508, 510, 512, 

517 524 
Taylor,' Johii W., 3:38, 354, 308 ; 

elected spealcer of H. R., 

354. 
Taylor, Jonathan, 95, 98. 
Taylor, Mr., 357. 
Tea party, old fashioned, 129. 
Ten Broeck, Gen., 77, 151 . 
Ten Broeck, Hon. Abraham, 

157. 
Ten Broeck, John C, 08. 
Teu Eyck, 377, iU. 
Ten Eyck, Abra., 334. 
Ten Eyck, Jacob, 217. 
Ten Eyck, Major, 334. 
Ten Eyck, Myudt. S., 88. 
Teneriiie and its cathedral, 

481. 
Thanks, expression of, 393. 
Thayendanegea's exploits and 

massacres, 122. 
Thayer, Col., 412. 
Thayer, S., 407 ; to Solomon 

Van Rensselaer, 407. 
The brig Tami)ic(), 439. 
The whistle of the muleteer, 

529. 
Thomas, Col., 315. 
Thomas, Gen., 52, 3.'?;i. 
Thompson, Jonathan, 374. 
ThompstHi, Judge, ,503. 
Thompson, Mr. James, 3.30. 
Thompson, Mrs., 413. 
Thompson Smith, 208, .378, 

380, 389, 400. 
Thorn, VVm., 57. 
Tibbits, George, 391. 
Tillman, John, (iO. 
Tilton, Capt., 119. 
'i'odds, (ien., 105. 
Tompkins, 22;>, .300, 378, 379. 
Tompkins, Caleb, 338, 365. 
Tompkins, Uaniel D., 100, 170, 

183. 224,208, 311, 320, 338, 

*i9, 315, .3.52, 300, 373, 381, 

.•38b, 389. 39ti, 392, 396; to 

Mr. Thompson, 373. 



Tompkins, Gov., 134, 154, 1.57, 
188, 189, 190, 199, 2(W. 205, 
225, 230, 274, 275, 277,' 293, 
294, 295, 309, 310, 313, 322, 
307 : unfeeliu;! conduct ol, 
295; to Sol. Van Rensse- 
laer, 309, 313. 

Tompson. Mr.. 373. 

Torrens, Col., 503, 525, 526. 

Torrey, Daniel, 90. 

Totter, Matthew, 88, 327, mi, 
396. 

Tower, Rnebcn, 402; to Sol. 
Van Rensselaer, 403. 

Townsend, Isaiah, 480. 

Townsend, Mr. John, 412. 

Towson, Capt., 201. 

Tracy, 415. 

Tracy, Albert H., 405. 

Tracy, Robert H., 338. 

Traverse, Mr., 485, 487. 

Trebout, Capt., 335. 

Tribute, of respect, 300. 

Trimble, Alden, 431. 

Troublous times, 150, 170. 

Triieman, Major, 95. 

Trumbull, 335. 

Trumbull, Col., 411. 

Trumbull, Governor, 41, 42. 

Turner, Capt., 107, 119 ; to 
Capt. Van Rensselaer, 97 ; 
to Lieut. Visscher, 107. 

Turner, Lieut., 97; to Capt. 
Van Rensselaer, 97. 

Tuthill, Silas, 308. 

Tyler, John, 393. 

Tyson, John, 68 ; to Gov. 
Lewis, 68. 



Uncle Peter, 489. 

Union College to Tliilip 

Schuyler, 87. 
United States, officers of 

government of, 338, 308. 
Urdaneta, Gen., 510, 525. 



Vale, J. L., 48(i. 

Valencia, Monsieur, 444. 

Van Alstyne, Jacob, 00, 107. 

Van Benthuysen, Jacob, 22. 

Van Bunschooten. Dominie, 
81. 

Van Buren, 370, 373, 378, 379, 
400, 407, 487. 

Van Buren, Klsie, 10. 

Van Buren, Governor, 4.55. 

Van Buren, Leonard, 41, 42, 
82; to Philip Van Rens- 
selaer, 41, 42. 

Van Buren, Martin, 337, 349, 
3.58, 301, 303, 37(i, 377, 381, 
384, :»5, 387, 388, 389, 390, 
392, 390; to Mr. Knower 
and others, 374, 375, 370; 
to Mr. Dudley, 382. 

Van Buren, Mr., 40, 371, 373, 
374, ;«0, 382, 395, 403. 

Van Burgh, 57. 

Van Cortlundt, General, 428, 
500. 

Van Cortlandl, Maria, 10. 

Van Cortlandt, Pierre, 411, 487. 

Van Cortlandl, to Sol. Van 
Rensselaer, 487 ; to Sol . 
Van Rensselaer, 500. 

Vanderpott, Captain, 42. 

Vauderput, Captain, 43. 

Van Hook, Brandt, 71 . 

Van Home, Gen., 151, 1.57. 

Van Munickhousen, 104. 

Van Ness, Cornelius P., 193, 
407; to Solomon Van 
Rensselaer, 485. 



Van Ness, Gen . , a33 . 

Van Ness, Gov., 485. 

Van Ness, John P., 101. 193, 
430 ; to Judge Van Ness, 
191 ; to Solomon Van 
Rensselaer, 192. 

Van Ness, Judge, 158, 1.S3, 184, 
281, 325, 3.30, 337, :i40, 311, 
344. 353, 362, 3(n5. 307, :J81 ; 
to Col. Soloracm Van Rens- 
selaer, 183, 184, 28], 325, 
337, 340, .341, .344, 300, 302, 
307, 403, 407, 408. 

Van Ness, William P., 192, 
193. 

Van Ness, W. W , 159, 185, 
.326, .3.35, 342, 345, 3.52, .3.50, 
300, 368, 403, 404, 407, 408 ; 
to Solomon Van Rensse- 
laer, 158. 

Van Rensselaer, 2, 6, 8,43, 110, 
149, 153,155, 107, .172, 174, 
175, 176, 177, 178, 182, 183, 
180, 191, 207, 209, 215. 218, 
224, 227,231, 234, 276, 301, 
329, 340, 346, 367, 377, 379, 
384, 518 ; ancient family 
papers of, 8. 

Van Rensse'aer, Abraham, 4.32. 

Van Rensselaer, Captain, 59, 
97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 103, 104, 
105,109, 111, 110,121, 132, 
1.34, 137, 140, 141, 142, 143, 
144, 18S; wounded, 102; 
receives the gift of sword, 
from Capt. Campbell, de- 
ceased, 102; to Lieutenant 
Visscher, 104; to General 
Wayne, 105 ; to his cousin, 
125; to his wife, 1-32. 133, 
134,1.37,138, 142, 144. 

Van Rensselaer, Colotiel, 27, 
43, 62, 64, 140, 200, 201, 
202, 208, 952, 253, 254, 257, 
2.59, 201, 263, 208, 270, 272, 
281, 282, 283, 291, 292, 293, 
294, 295, 302, 308, 320, 344 ; 
riddled with bullets, 2.54 : 
to General Wilkinson, 311 ; 
to Abraham Van Vechtcn, 
220 ; to Gcu. Lewis. 231. 

Van Rensselaer. Dr., 475. 

Van Rensselaer, Elizabeth, 428. 

Van Rensselaer, Gcn.i .5, 164, 
166, 170, 180, 181, 195, 199, 
204, 200, 210, 214. 216, 217, 
221, 2;31, 2.3;j, 2.35, 236, 2;38, 
239, 240, •;M1, 2^12, 243, 244, 
246. 247, 248, 249, 2,50, 250, 
3()4, 2(;6, 209, 271, 274, 275, 
278, 279, 280, 288, 289, 290, 
297, 298, 332, ,342, ;»3, :K0, 
358, 300, 302, 360, 309, .372, 
.374, 382, 387, 388, 391, .395, 
396, 397. 398, 412, 415, 416, 
438, 485, 487 ; benevolence 
of. 77 ; to Gen. Brock, 220, 
204; to Gen. Dearborn, 233, 
244; to Lieut. Col. Fen- 
wick, 248 ; to Major Mnl- 
lany, 250; to Gen. Sheafle, 
265, 268, 269; to William 
Simmons, 190; to Alex- 
ander Smyth, 240, 242 ; to 
Gen. Hall, 247; to Gov. 
Tompkins, 236 ; to Solo- 
mon Vail Rensselaer, 280 ; 
to the public, 1S7 190; to 
Col. Willett, 241 ; Margaret 
Schuyler, first wife ol, 77 ; 
Stephen, the fifth patroon, 
77 ; in command of forces, 
194 ; visits the British side, 
248 ; orders an attack on 
Queenston, 248. 



1nui;x. 



541 



Vail Konssolacr, IIciiiv K., 10, 
11, (il, (W. (i(i, Uii, 1C'.»; 
d until of, ;W(j; funeral sol- 
oiiiiiit.i(!8 of, 3^, ;W7. 

Vau Kcusselaer, IIeiii'.v U., 91. 

Van Rcnsselaei', Jeremiah, 417, 
4-i8; childrea of, 10; to 
Sol. Van Kensselaer, 3^15, 
41 G. 

Van Rensselaer, John, 428. 

Van Rensselaer, Kilian, 7, 10, 
37, 43, 78, 70; acknow- 
ledged patroon, 7; dia- 
mond merchant of 
Amsterdam, 7 ; a director 
in West India Co., 7; 
selects land at FortOrange, 
7 ; death of, 7. 

Van RensHclaeiL Killian n., 
13i», 15(!. • 

Van Rensselaer, Killian K.,11, 
107, 108, 120, 123; to Capt. 
Van Rensselaer, 107, 122 ; 
to Philip Van Rensselaer, 
78. 

Van Rensselaer, Killian P., 
news of his death, 510. 

Van Rensselaer, Lady, canal 
barge, 425. 

Van Rensscilaer, Major, 148, 
152, 157, 213, 22fi. 

Van Rensselaer, Margaretta, 
519; to her sister, 519. 

Van Rensselaer, Maria M . , 510. 

Van Rensselaer, Miss, 129. 

Van Rensselaer, Miss A , 430. 

Vau Rensselaer, Miss Arriett, 
115, 116, 119, 455. 

Van Rensselaer, Mrs., 179, 
22.5, 429, 437; to her 
hnsband, 227. 

Vau Rensselaer, Mrs. A., 428. 

Van Rensselaer, Mrs. H., 85. 

Van Rensselaer, Mrs. Jacob, 
to Mrs. Philip Van Rens- 
selaer, 119. 

Van Rensselaer, Mrs. Philip, 
39. 

Vau Rensselaer, Mrs. Sol., 414, 
427 ; to her daughters, 427, 
429. 

Van Rensselaer, Nancy, 327. 

Van Rensselaer, Nicholas, 10, 
11, 43, 44, 47, 07. 1«1-3;J3, 
3:^4; to Philip Van Rens- 
selaer, 47. 

Vau Rensselaer, Philip, 10, 11, 
35, m, 10, 41, 42, fl, 4(), 47, 
49, 50, 51, .52, 53, 51, 5.5, 5(;, 
()2, 69, 71, 75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 
SI, 82. 83, 88, 112, 113, 130, 
147, 414: 432, 4.33 ; to Cor- 
nelius Ray, 82; to Gov. 
Geo. Clinton, 88; to .Timo- 
thy Pickering, 81; to Col. 
Van Rensselaer. 248; to 
Richard V'arick, 88; to his 
wile, 38. 

Van Rensselaer. Rensselaer, 
2. 442. 451, 4.5.5, 463, 470, 
472. 476, ,506, 516, 519, 52:3 ; 
collects material for a 
history of Albany, 2 ; sails 
to South America, 437 ; 
portrait of, 4.54 ; to his 
father, 439, 441, 442, 455, 
464. 472, 474, 487, 505, 516, 
523. 

Van Rensselaer, Robert, Col., 
.53. 

Vau Rensselaer. Robert. S., 

112. 113, 115, 128; in 
London, 115 ; to his sister. 

113, 115,117, 126 • to Col. 
Philip Van Rensselaer, 112. 



Van Rensselaer, Solomon, 1, 
5, 12, 91, 92, 93, 100, 106, 
112, 117, 122, 124, 125, 126, 
131, 136, 138, 145, 151, 154, 
158, 1.59, 164, 16S, lis I, 1S5, 
190, 192, 196, 19S, 212, 221, 
228, 230, 2.32, 273, 2T7, 2S(), 
28-1, 285, 287, 303, 305, .'iOO, 
311, 313, 314, .31.5, 316, 317, 
319, 320, 321, 32:^, 325, 327, 
328, :«0, 331, 332, .334, 336, 
337, 338, 339, 341, :M3, 345, 
349, :i50, 351. 352, 3,59, 364, 
365, 368, 370,371, 373, 378, 
380, .385, ;«7, 393, 3!)1, 399, 
40O. 401, 403, 407, 408, 409, 
410, 411, 412, 413. 414, 417, 
418, 419, 420, 421, 422, -124, 
425, 4;}0, 439, 440, 442, 454, 
455, 470, 471, 476, 486, 506, 
507, 515, 520, 523 ; shot, 1 ; 
recovery of, 280; to Dr. 
Bay, 378; to Philip Bar- 
bour, 385 ; to E. C. Genet, 
164 ; to his wife, 198, 211, 
247, 268, 320, 321, :«8, 340, 
342, 350, 353, 356, 358, 360, 
3(34, 487 ; to the p.atroon, 
369; to his sou, 455, 470. 
to Geu. Harrison, 4;38 ; to 
secretary of war, 124 ; to 
Gen. Porter, 291 ; applica- 
tion for post master at Al 
bauy, .371 ; appointed cor- 
net of dragoons, 91 ; 
elected member of con- 
gress, 337 ; re-elected to 
congress, 367 ; removed 
from adjutant general 
of state, 367 ; speech of, in 
reply to mayor of Detroit, 
423; public dinner in De- 
troit, honor of, 424 ; ap- 
pointed Albany postmas- 
ter, 379 ; resiguation as a 
member of congress, 386 ; 
promoted to Maj. Gen. of 
militia, 3, 11 ; to Gen. 
Stephen Van Rensselaer, 
336; receives commission 
as major general, 337 ; 

Van Rensselaer, Stephen, 10. 
194, 196, 214, ^15, 2.58, 260, 
296, 310, 312, 326, :tes, 370, 
388, 401, 402, 407, 408, 425, 
507; to Gov. Toiiii>kins, 
199, 204 ; resignation of, 
2()0; to Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer, 326, 328, 336 ; elect- 
ed to congress, 389, 393. 

Van Schaack, Major J . B., 418. 

Van Stiiphorst. J. G., 126; to 
Robert S. Van Rensselaer, 
121. 

Van Slyck, Cornelius, 88. 

Van T wilier, Wouter, 7. 

Van V'cchten, Ephiu., t>S. 

Van Vecliteii, Abraham, 1.5.8, 
170, 1S4, 185, 198, 220, 221, 
-im, 250, 251, 271, 272, 325. 
.3.57 ; to Sol. Van Rens- 
selaer. 2.30. 2.50, 271. 

Van Vechteu. .Mr., 217. 

Van Vechtcn, Mrs., 227. 

Van Vechten, Teunis Ts, .50, 
51, 69, 169; to Philip Van 
Itensselaer, ,50, 69. 

Van Vechteu, Walter, 268. 

Van Wyck, Wm. W., .368, 375, 
389. 

Varick, Colonel, 88, 335, 411 ; 
to Philip Van Rensselaer, 
146. 

Varick, Richard, 54. 

Veeder, Nicholas, 88. 



Vegetables, common, uucoru- 

iiion, 502. 
Vergara, ,523. 

Visseher, Capt., 72, 73, 74. 
Visschcr, Frederick, 69, 75. 
Visseher, .John, 43, 44, 104, 

333, 334. 
Visseher, Lieut., 107, 108, 109, 

123. 124; to Capt. Van 
Renssela(!r, 109, 119. 

Visseher, Mr., 149. 

Visseher, Mrs., 4(H, 470. 

Visseher, Mrs. Nanniug I., 413. 

Visseher, Nanning I., 97, 98, 
99, 100, 101, 110, 119, 14.5, 
146, 1-48,418; marriage of, 
149; to Capt. Sol. Vau 
Rensselaer, 98, 101, 123, 

124. 145; to Major Vau 
Rensselaer, 148 ; portrait 
of, 1-19 ; death of, 368. 

Visseher, Col. Sebastian, 327. 



Wadswortli, Gen., 203, 206, 
230, 256, 257, 261, 26^1,265, 
267, 273, 276, 429; to Gen. 
Van Rensselaer, 265. 

Waganar, Col . Peter, 69. 

Wallace, T., 298. 

Wall, Col., 147. 

Wall, Mr., 505. 

Walsh. Dudley, 85. 

Walsh, Wm., 519. 

Walworth, Reuben II., 368, .389. 

War, between Colombia and 
Peru, 521. 

War in 1812, declaration of, 
194-213. 

Warlield, 402. 

Warren, Daniel, 29. 

Warren, Sir Peter, 8. 

Washington, city of, 153; cap- 
ture of, 319, 320 ; the Bri- 
tish threaten to attack, 
305. 

Washington, George, commis- 
sion from, appointing Sol- 
omon Van Rensselaer, 
Lieut, of dragoons, 83; 
interesting letters from, 
303. 

Wasluiiglon, Gen., 42, 67, 58, 
71. 80, 81, 95, 98, 103, 10-t, 
13.5, 1(7, 148, 1.50, 151, 15.3, 
2.!.s, -M), 329, 411 : to John 
T.iylor. 147; death of, 150; 
his funeral processicm in 
.\IUanv, 151. 

Washington, (Jeoige, 19, 93, 
1.55, 103,411; tlie mau of 
war, 155. 

Washington, Mrs., 86; levee, 
86. 

Washington, President, 80, 
91, 164. 

Wayne, Anthony, ;iS6. 

Wayne, Capt.. 147. 

Wayne, Gen.. 85, 86, 89, 95, 
97, 100, 101. 102, 103, 104, 
105, 121, l:». 135, 188, 2.55, 
310, 368. 419, 422; cam- 
paign of, 89-108; pnshea 
forward, 100; erects mili- 
tary works at Fort DcH- 
ance, 101 ; the war horse 
of, 121 ; returns to Fort 
Defiance, 104; is neglected 
by congress. 104 ; his 
burial pl.ace, 104. 

Webb, 110. 

Webb. Capt., 10.5, 111.121; to 
Capt. Van Rensselaer, 
10.5, 121. 



512 



Index. 



Webb. Jobn, m. 

Wel)b, J. ji-.,!)4. 106. 

Web)), Lieut., 123. 

Webb, Lieut. J. W., 421. 

Webster, C. R., 2. 

Webster, Daniel, 40.'), .520, .510; 

to Sol. Van liensselaer, 

510. 
Webster, Lieut., 418. 
Webster, Mr., 200, 4S5. 
Weddiug invitation, 83 ; of 

1776, 130. 
Weniple, Col., 70. 
Wendell, Col., 23, 27, 31. 
Wendell, Jacob, 26, 2S, 20, 30, 

33. 
Weudoll, John, 28, 
Wen(U-ll, John H,, 160, 327, 

:):«, 412. 
Wendell, John Mico, 26, 31, 

34. 
Wendell, Miidm., 26. 
Wendell, Maria, 17. 
M'endoU. Mr., 33. 
Wendover, Peter H., 338. 
AVesterlo, General, 331. 
West Point, ideas, 121 ; Mili- 
tary Academy at, 107. 
Wbaley, Hercules, 05." 
Wheeler, John W., ;i42. 
Whipi)le, John, 132, 4*3, 434; 

murdered, 432. 
Whipple, Mrs., 433, 434. 
Whipple, Mrs. Elsie, 433. 
Whistler, J., 2:31; to Gen. 

Van Rensselaer, 230. 
Whitehall, Gen. Montgomery 

buried at, 331. 
White, Henry, 40. 
Wlbira, Riohd., 20, 31, 34. 



Wilkinson, 110; appointed 
deputy adjutant general, 
141; to Capt. Van Rens- 
selaer, 140; to Maj. Van 
Rensselaer, 155 ; to Sol. 
Van Rensselaer, 186. 

Willjinson, Capt., 53. 

Wilkinson, General, 34, 68, 06, 
00, 102, 132, 134, 137, KiH, 
140, 141, 142, 152, 153, 154, 
155, 186, 212, 255, 258, 308, 
318, 321 ; to secretai-y of 
war, 1.53. 

Wilkinson, James, 145, 152, 
187, 313, 316, 320. 

Wilkinson, Mrs., 1.55. 

Willard, Elias, 334. 

Willett, Col., 71.241. 

Willett, Lieut. Col. M., 230. 

Willet, M., 335. 

Willet, Col. Marinua, 70, 80, 
238, 242, 411; to General 
Van Rensselaer, 2;i8. 

Williams, Captain, 331, 3:33. 

Williams, Colonel, 325 

Williams, (Jol. John, 332, 333. 
334, 402. 

Williams, D. R., 310. 

Williams, Elisha, 170, 182, 340 ; 
death of, 182. 

Williams, Lewis, 400, 410 ; to 
Sol . Van Rensselaer, 400. 

Williams, Major J. R., 400, 
421, 422. 

Wilie, Walter, 15. 

Wilson, Dr., 244, 288, 280. 200, 
201, 202; to Maj. Lovett, 
201. 

Winchester, Gen., 143, 145. 

Winder, Col., 2()S, 260, 270, 270. 



Winder, Gen., .301, 319. 330. 
Winne, Wm. B., 382; Billy, 

the penny post, 382. 
Winston, Major, 112, 110. 
Wirt, Mr., 380. 
Mi'isner, Henry, .55. 
Woodcock, 375. 
Woodcock, David, 368, a^O. 
Wood, Klias. 33S. 
Wood, Silas, 368, 405. 
Woodstock, the bii th place of 

the Bla( k Prince, 120. 
Wood worth, Capt., 422. 
Woodvvorth, John, 170. 185.368. 
Wool, Captain, 252, 258, 273, 

286 ; report of, 272 ; to Col. 

Van Rensselaer, 272. 
Wool, Capt. Gen., 285. 
Wool, John B., 263, 272, 421, 

422, 424. 
Woolsey, Capt., 288. 
Wooster, Gen., 48, 40, 50. 
Wolfe, Gen., 31, 330. 
Worth, Major, 333. 
Wri^'hl, Gen., 200. 
Wright, Mr., 464. 



Yankee dinner parly, 4S7. 
Yates, Chri8lf)pher, 56. 
Yates, Col., 333. 
Yates, Gov., 400, 414. 
Yates, John Van Ness, 432. 
Yates, Joseph C, 108, a37, 368. 
Yates, Judge, 108, 341, 400. 
Yates, Mr., 51. 
Yates, Peter W., 158. 
Yates, Richard, 52; to Philip 

Van Rensselaer, 52. 
Y'ates, Robert, 42, 57. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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